New Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) - Turn2us

From 1 October 2012, information, advice and support on discrimination will be provided by the new Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

The new service is aimed at individuals who need more expert advice and support on discrimination than advice agencies and other local organisations can provide. It will:

• give bespoke advice to individuals across the whole of Great Britain on discrimination issues
• explain legal rights and remedies within discrimination legislation, across three nations 
• explain options for informal resolution and help people to pursue them
• refer people who cannot or do not wish to go down this road to conciliation or mediation services
• help people who need or want to seek a legal solution by helping to establish eligibility for legal aid and if they are not eligible, to find an accessible legal service to prepare and lodge a claim themselves.

Working collaboratively

The EASS will work collaboratively with the organisations from whom it receives referrals and where the individual consents, let them know the outcome of cases they refer.

It will also work closely with the Equality Human Rights Commission (EHRC), referring on potential test cases and sharing information to inform the EHRC's wider work on equality and with Disability Rights UK, the Law Centres Federation, Voiceability, the British Institute of Human Rights and the Royal Association for Deaf People.

More information

For more information, see the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) website (link opens in a new window) 

Source: The Home Office (link opens in a new window)