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This page was last updated on 01 May 2007
This section provides a summary of some of the main provisions of the Race Relations Act, including the different forms of racial discrimination, and the scope of the Race Relations Act in terms of the situations and organisations to which the provisions will apply and relevant exceptions. It is not a definitive guide to the law.
The Race Relations Act 1976 and the RRAA Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and the Race Regulations are available as publications from the HMSO Bookshop, not from the CRE.
The full text of the Act is available online from the UK Statute Law database:
The summary includes any changes by amendments to the legislation, including major changes introduced by the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 ("the RRAA") and the Race Relations Act 1976 (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (“Race Regulations”).
Under the Race Relations Act, it is unlawful to discriminate against anyone on grounds of race, colour, nationality (including citizenship), or ethnic or national origin. All racial groups are protected from discrimination.
The Race Relations Act generally applies to the fields of employment, planning, housing, the exercise of public functions (both by public authorities and also private bodies exercising public functions, for example, privately-run prisons). It also applies to the provision of goods, facilities and services, and to education.
The Race Relations Act also applies to public authorities in several ways:
Racist incidents ranging from criminal harassment and abuse to physical violence are offences under the criminal law.
Inciting racial hatred is also a criminal offence. The CRE has published a protocol on referring people who appear to have incited racial hatred to the police:
Publishing and disseminating materials such as leaflets and newspapers that are likely to incite racial hatred is also a criminal offence. If anyone has a complaint with respect to any of these criminal matters they should be reported to the police.
Racially offensive material in the media contravenes media codes of practice. Complaints can be made to the Press Complaints Commission or Ofcom. Complaints about racially offensive advertisements should be made to the Advertising Standards Authority.