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Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Code of Practice Published

Artwork which are colours of black, white and off white.
  • Written byStudent Communications
  • Published date 16 June 2026
Artwork which are colours of black, white and off white.
Image credit: 2024 Postgraduate Show, London College of Fashion, UAL | Photograph: Ana Blumenkron

The UK Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has recently published its draft Code of Practice.

The code is part of the draft Equality Act 2010 Code of Practice and has been updated to take account of legal changes. The most significant change relates to the ruling in April 2025 by the Supreme Court which set out that sex means biological sex for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010. The case noted that the Act continues to prohibit discrimination on the grounds of gender reassignment and affirmed that trans people are still protected by the Act.

The Code is currently undergoing parliamentary scrutiny and once approved, the U.K. government will set a date for it to come into force, after which organisations will be given time to comply.

Teams across the University are carefully reviewing the draft code. We want to reassure students that UAL is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and that we are committed to working with Arts SU to understand and address the impact of these rulings for our community.

We recognise that this will be an uncertain and concerning time for our trans and non-binary community.

We believe that diversity strengthens us and we will continue to protect the rights of all students. Within our community, there will be a range of views on the issues raised by the ruling and we all need to treat each other with respect, including where different views are held.  Our Code of Practice on Freedom of Expression sets out our values and approach on both freedom of speech and academic freedom.

Everyone at UAL has the right to study in an environment free from bullying and harassment. If you experience bullying or harassment, we can provide support to you. If you see or experience it, please report it through Tell Someone – our confidential reporting tool. Support is also available from the Student Counselling Service.

We will post further updates when more information becomes available but, in the meantime, please be reassured there are no changes to the Student Diversity policy or to the use of toilet facilities across UAL. All students and visitors are welcome to use the gender-neutral toilets. Where gendered facilities are available, individuals are free to use the ones that align with their gender identity and expression. Students and visitors who prefer single-sex facilities should use the gender-neutral options available at every site across our campuses.

If you have questions or concerns Student Services are here to support you.