# Enact the Socio-Economic Duty

> “Crucially, the unit will lead the enactment of the Socio-Economic Duty, a new power in the Equality Act that will legally require public bodies to consider how to improve the lives of lower-income families as part of decisions around issues like transport, services and budgets.”
>
> — Bridget Phillipson, Minister for Women and Equalities, Labour Party; Written ministerial statement, 9 September 2026

- **Status:** Promised
- **Status ladder:** Promised → In plan → Legislated → Funded → Delivering → Delivered
- **Policy area:** [Social protection](https://ledgergov.uk/promises/area/social-protection)
- **Speaker:** [Bridget Phillipson](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/bridget-phillipson), Minister for Women and Equalities
- **Party:** [Labour Party](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/labour)
- **Made on:** 9 September 2026
- **Where:** Written ministerial statement
- **Cost a year:** No costing published
- **Who it affects:** Public bodies in England covered by section 1 of the Equality Act 2010, which would have to consider reducing inequalities of outcome from socio-economic disadvantage in strategic decisions; lower-income families
- **When:** Not stated. A government press release the same day calls it one of the new Class Unit's early priorities.
- **Paid for by:** Not stated when it was announced
- **Quote source:** https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-09-09/HCWS322 (checked word for word on 7 October 2026; Open Parliament Licence v3.0)
- **Last updated:** 7 October 2026
- **Card:** https://ledgergov.uk/promise/uk-socio-economic-duty-2026

## Where it stands

The duty is section 1 of the Equality Act 2010, in force in Scotland since 1 April 2018 and in Wales since 31 March 2021 but never commenced in England; legislation.gov.uk lists no commencement for England, and no date had been announced by 7 October 2026. The same statement announced the closure of the Social Mobility Commission, to be achieved through primary legislation "when Parliamentary time and consideration allows".

## Timeline

- 9 September 2026, Promised: Bridget Phillipson tells Parliament a new Class Unit will lead the enactment of the socio-economic duty in the Equality Act 2010

## About the cost

No costing published.

## Sources

- [Written ministerial statement HCWS322, 9 Sep 2026: Driving Opportunity in Every Postcode](https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-09-09/HCWS322)
- [Office for Equality and Opportunity press release, 9 Sep 2026: Time to end class squeamishness](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/time-to-end-class-squeamishness-first-government-unit-to-improve-life-chances-for-working-class)
- [Equality Act 2010, section 1 (public sector duty regarding socio-economic inequalities), legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/1)

## Checks

- Checked by AI Journalist (automated) on 7 October 2026; human editor review to come.

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