Scottish Human Rights Commission statement on EHRC Code of Practice

The Scottish Human Rights Commission has published a statement on the Equality and Human Rights Commission's Statutory Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations, which comes into force on 5 August 2026.

The EHRC's Code of Practice explains how the Equality Act 2010 applies to services, public functions, and associations, and provides guidance for public services including the NHS, prisons, and education in Scotland.

The statement sets out the steps Scottish public authorities should take to ensure their approach is consistent with human rights law, including engaging with those affected by policy and practice, and collecting data to monitor how the Code of Practice is operating in practice.

Read the full statement here.

ENDs

For media enquiries please email media@scottishhumanrights.com.

Notes to editors:

1. ∙The SHRC issued a statement on the Supreme Court judgment in For Women Scotland vs the Scottish Ministers in August 2025. 
2. The SHRC set out the specific requirements of the human rights framework relating to women’s rights in a statement in March 2025. 
3. This briefing is intended to help Scottish public authorities engage with the EHRC Code consistently with international and domestic human rights principles and legal frameworks. The SHRC does not have responsibility for the EHRC’s Code of Practice; questions about the detail of the Code should be directed to the EHRC.