Equality Watchdog Issues Cuts Threat

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has threatened to take action against the government over whether its spending cuts have an unfair impact on women and minority groups. The equalities watchdog said it may take ‘enforcement action’ if the Treasury fails to prove that it assessed the impact of spending cuts in the Budget and the forthcoming comprehensive spending review. The commission’s announcement follows a report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies which said the Budget was ‘regressive’ and would hit the poorest families hardest. Under the Equality Act 2010, the Treasury is obliged to assess the impact of its spending plans on certain groups before announcing them. Read more on Inside Housing.