Law

Race Relations Act 1976 (Repealed)

United Kingdom · statute

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In force since 2012-10-01, as the publisher states.

Copy read on 2026-11-08. The page it was read from

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.

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Contents: 121 provisions
  1. Title and introductory text
  2. 1 Racial discrimination.
  3. 2 Discrimination by way of victimisation.
  4. 3 Meaning of “racial grounds", “racial group" etc.
  5. 3A Harassment
  6. 4 . . . applicants and employees.
  7. 4A Exception for genuine occupational requirement
  8. 5 Exceptions for genuine occupational qualifications.
  9. 6 Exception for employment intended to provide training in skills to be exercised outside Great Britain.
  10. 7 . . . contract workers.
  11. 8 Meaning of employment at establishment in Great Britain.
  12. 9 Exception for seamen recruited abroad.
  13. 10 Partnerships.
  14. 11 Trade unions etc.
  15. 12 Qualifying bodies.
  16. 13 Persons concerned with provision of vocational training.
  17. 14 Employment agencies.
  18. 15 Manpower Services Commission etc.
  19. 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  20. 17 . . . bodies in charge of educational establishments.
  21. 17A Meaning of pupil in section 17.
  22. 18 Other discrimination etc. by local education authorities.
  23. 18A Discrimination by further and higher education funding bodies
  24. 18B . . . Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Councils.
  25. 18BA Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council
  26. 18C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  27. 18D . . . Training and Development Agency for Schools.
  28. 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  29. 19ZA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  30. 19A Discrimination by planning authorities.
  31. 19B . . . public authorities.
  32. 19C Exceptions or further exceptions from section 19B for judicial and legislative acts etc.
  33. 19D Exception from section 19B for certain acts in immigration and nationality cases.
  34. 19E Monitoring of exception in relation to immigration and nationality cases.
  35. 19F Exceptions from section 19B for decisions not to prosecute etc.
  36. 20 . . . provision of goods, facilities or services.
  37. 21 . . . disposal or management of premises.
  38. 22 Exception from ss. 20(1) and 21: small dwellings.
  39. 23 Further exceptions from ss 20 and 21.
  40. 24 . . . consent for assignment or sub-letting.
  41. 25 Discrimination: associations not within s. 11.
  42. 26 Exception from s. 25 for certain associations.
  43. 26A . . . barristers.
  44. 26B . . . advocates.
  45. 27 Extent of Part III.
  46. 27A Relationships which have come to an end
  47. 28 Discriminatory practices.
  48. 29 Discriminatory advertisements.
  49. 30 Instructions to commit unlawful acts.
  50. 31 Pressure to commit unlawful acts.
  51. 32 Liability of employers and principals.
  52. 33 Aiding unlawful acts.
  53. 34 Charities.
  54. 35 Special needs of racial groups in regard to education, training or welfare.
  55. 36 Provision of education or training for persons not ordinarily resident in Great Britain.
  56. 37 Discriminatory training by certain bodies.
  57. 38 Other discriminatory training etc.
  58. 39 Sports and competitions.
  59. 40 Indirect access to benefits etc.
  60. 41 Acts done under statutory authority etc.
  61. 42 Acts safeguarding national security.
  62. 43 Establishment and duties of Commission.
  63. 44 Assistance to organisations.
  64. 45 Research and education.
  65. 46 Annual reports.
  66. 47 Codes of practice.
  67. 48 Power to conduct formal investigations.
  68. 49 Terms of reference.
  69. 50 Power to obtain information.
  70. 51 Recommendations and reports on formal investigations.
  71. 52 Restriction on disclosure of information.
  72. 53 Restriction of proceedings for breach of Act.
  73. 54 Jurisdiction of employment tribunals.
  74. 54A Burden of proof: employment tribunals
  75. 55
  76. 56 Remedies on complaint under s. 54.
  77. 57 Claims under Part III etc..
  78. 57ZA Burden of proof : County and Sheriff Courts
  79. 57A Claims under section 19B in immigration cases.
  80. 58 Issue of non-discrimination notice.
  81. 59 Appeal against non-discrimination notice.
  82. 60 Investigation as to compliance with non-discrimination notice.
  83. 61 Register of non-discrimination notices.
  84. 62 Persistent discrimination.
  85. 63 Enforcement of ss. 29 to 31.
  86. 64 Preliminary action in employment cases.
  87. 65 Help for aggrieved persons in obtaining information etc.
  88. 66 Assistance by Commission.
  89. 67 Sheriff courts and designated county courts.
  90. 67A National security: procedure.
  91. 68 Period within which proceedings to be brought.
  92. 69 Evidence.
  93. 70 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  94. 71 Specified authorities: general statutory duty.
  95. 71A General statutory duty: special cases.
  96. 71B General statutory duty: Scotland and Wales.
  97. 71C General statutory duty: codes of practice.
  98. 71D General statutory duty: compliance notices.
  99. 71E Enforcement of compliance notices.
  100. 72 Validity and revision of contracts.
  101. 72A Collective agreements and rules of undertakings
  102. 72B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  103. 73 Power to amend certain provisions of Act.
  104. 74 Orders and regulations.
  105. 75 Application to Crown etc.
  106. 75A Application to House of Commons staff.
  107. 75B Application to House of Lords staff.
  108. 76 Government appointments outside s. 4.
  109. 76ZA Other office holders
  110. 76A Police forces.
  111. 76B Other police bodies etc.
  112. 77 Financial provisions.
  113. 78 General interpretation provisions.
  114. 79 Transitional and commencement provisions, amendments and repeals.
  115. 80 Short title and extent.
  116. SCHEDULE 1
  117. SCHEDULE 1A Bodies and other persons subject to general statutory duty
  118. SCHEDULE 2 Transitional Provisions
  119. SCHEDULE 3
  120. SCHEDULE 4 AMENDMENTS OF SEX DISCRIMINATION ACT 1975
  121. SCHEDULE 5

Proposed changes to this act

No one has proposed a change to this act yet.

121 provisions

Title and introductory text

Race Relations Act 1976 (Repealed) 1976 c. 74 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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1 Racial discrimination.

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2 Discrimination by way of victimisation.

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3 Meaning of “racial grounds", “racial group" etc.

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3A Harassment

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4 . . . applicants and employees.

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4A Exception for genuine occupational requirement

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5 Exceptions for genuine occupational qualifications.

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6 Exception for employment intended to provide training in skills to be exercised outside Great Britain.

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7 . . . contract workers.

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8 Meaning of employment at establishment in Great Britain.

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9 Exception for seamen recruited abroad.

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10 Partnerships.

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11 Trade unions etc.

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12 Qualifying bodies.

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13 Persons concerned with provision of vocational training.

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14 Employment agencies.

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15 Manpower Services Commission etc.

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16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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17 . . . bodies in charge of educational establishments.

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17A Meaning of pupil in section 17.

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18 Other discrimination etc. by local education authorities.

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18A Discrimination by further and higher education funding bodies

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18B . . . Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Councils.

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18BA Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council

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18C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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18D . . . Training and Development Agency for Schools.

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19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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19ZA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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19A Discrimination by planning authorities.

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19B . . . public authorities.

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19C Exceptions or further exceptions from section 19B for judicial and legislative acts etc.

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19D Exception from section 19B for certain acts in immigration and nationality cases.

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19E Monitoring of exception in relation to immigration and nationality cases.

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19F Exceptions from section 19B for decisions not to prosecute etc.

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20 . . . provision of goods, facilities or services.

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21 . . . disposal or management of premises.

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22 Exception from ss. 20(1) and 21: small dwellings.

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23 Further exceptions from ss 20 and 21.

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24 . . . consent for assignment or sub-letting.

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