Religious belief

Buddhist; Catholic; Hindu; Jewish; Muslims, people of no religious belief; Protestants; Sikh; other faiths.

For the purposes of Section 75, the term “religious belief” is the same definition as that used in the Fair Employment & Treatment (NI) Order10. Therefore, “religious belief” also includes any perceived religious belief (or perceived lack of belief) and, in employment situations only, it also covers any “similar philosophical belief”.

Political opinion11

Nationalist generally; Unionists generally; members/supporters of other political parties.

Racial group

Black people; Chinese; Indians; Pakistanis; people of mixed ethnic background; Polish; Roma; Travellers; White people.

Men and women generally

Men (including boys); Trans-gendered people; Transsexual people; women (including girls).

Marital status

Civil partners or people in civil partnerships; divorced people; married people; separated people; single people; widowed people.

Age

Children and young people; older people.

Persons with a disability

Persons with disabilities as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Persons with dependants

Persons with personal responsibility for the care of a child; for the care of a person with a disability; or the care of a dependant older person.

Sexual orientation

Bisexual people; heterosexual people; gay or lesbian people.