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Getting Ready for the Socio-Economic Duty

Getting Ready for the Socio-Economic Duty

On 9th October 2025, the #1forEquality campaign and the Local Government Association held a successful event where attendees were able to learn how to meaningfully implement the duty to make a difference in local communities.

You can view slides and a recording of the event below, in addition to some further reading and resources on this topic:

View the slides from the event - Getting ready for the Socio-Economic Duty


Event speakers and their organisations:

  1. Welcome from #1forEquality - Chairing the event: Helen Flynn, Just Fair
  1. Message from the Local Government Association - Councillor Carole Williams, Hackney Council
  1. Introduction to the SED - Vanessa Boon, Equality Trust
  1. What effective implementation looks like - Laura Burgess, Resolve Poverty
  1. Effective involvement of people with lived experience - Tracey Herrington, Thrive
  1. How the SED links with the PSED (Public Sector Equality Duty) - Ali Harris, Equally Ours
  1. Case Study Speakers: Councillor Laura Murtagh from Falkirk Council; Carol Botten, Service Manager - Community, Health & Wellbeing at Gateshead Council - Slides for the case study

Further reading and useful resources:

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A Practical Guide for Local Authority Implementation of the Socio-Economic Duty in England (2021)

Fairer Scotland Duty: guidance for public bodies (2022)

A More Equal Wales: statutory guidance (2025)

The socio-economic duty in Wales and Scotland: research report  - Equality & Human Rights Commission (2025)

Socio-economic duty adoption across England (2024)

The socio-economic duty in action Case studies from England and Wales (2023)

Maximising opportunities for health and wellbeing for people and communities experiencing socio-economic disadvantage: A guide to using the Socio-economic Duty in policy and practice in Wales (2023)

Briefing on the current scale of the socio-economic duty in England - voluntary adoption (2022)

Tackling inequality: the Socio-economic Duty (2022)

SED Tool - School Meal Price Increase (2022)

Tackling socio-economic inequalities locally (2018)

Securing senior leadership support to send a message about the importance of the duty - see sample Council Motion (Derby) to formally adopt the SED

Joint response from 1ForEquality Campaign to UK government's SED consultation (2025)

The Equality Trust joined Academics Stand Against Poverty UK (ASAP UK) for a timely discussion on the socio-economic duty—the legal clause designed to place the reduction of socio-economic inequalities at the heart of public policymaking. This webinar explored the origins, provisions, and disruptive potential of the socio-economic duty, which has remained unimplemented in Westminster since its passage.  

Vanessa Boon from the Equality Trust talks about the impact of the socio-economic duty and the potential it has to change how policy in the UK is made.  

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