Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of classifying care experience as a protected characteristic.

This question was answered on 19th March 2025
The Government is delivering for care leavers by taking practical action. As announced by the Prime Minister on 24 September 2024, care leavers under age 25 will be exempt from rules which require a connection to a local area before accessing social housing. We have also established a care leaver Ministerial Board, which brings together Ministers from key Departments, to improve support for care leavers across Government.

The Equality Act 2010 already protects many care leavers under the indirect discrimination provisions, because a disproportionately high number are likely to be from particular protected characteristics.