Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS)

If you’ve experienced discrimination under the Equality Act 2010, you can get help from the Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS) helpline. Check if you’ve experienced discrimination under the Equality Act.

The EASS can help you deal with your problem without having to go to court or a tribunal. They can:

• explain what the law says and how it applies to you
• explain how your situation could be resolved
• help you resolve your problem informally - for example, they might be able to contact the organisation that discriminated against you
• refer you to a conciliation or mediation service if the problem can’t be resolved informally
• help you work out if you can get legal aid if you want to go to court
• explain how to start a court claim

The EASS can’t give you legal advice. If you go to court or a tribunal, they can’t help you with your case after you start your claim. This means they can’t:

• represent you in court
• tell you how strong your case is
• tell you what evidence you need
• give you advice about court or tribunal processes

EASS can sometimes arrange extra help so that people with learning disabilities or mental health problems can use the helpline and understand the advice. If you need extra help, ask the EASS adviser.