There are nine protected characteristics in the Equality Act. Under the Act, discrimination which happens because of one or more of these characteristics is unlawful.

It is against the law to discriminate against anyone because of:

  1. Age
  2. Being or becoming a transsexual person
  3. Being married or in a civil partnership
  4. Being pregnant or on maternity leave
  5. Disability
  6. Race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin
  7. Religion, belief or lack of religion/belief
  8. Sex
  9. Sexual orientation

Please find a profile on the 9 Protected Characteristics for Merton.

Data relating to age, gender and race can be found on Merton Data in the Population report page

Where it is available, data relating to the other protected characteristics is presented below.

Disability

Day-to-day activities limited

Age All persons Males Females
All categories: Age 24,245 10,805 13,440
Age 0 to 4 250 137 113
Age 5 to 9 381 234 147
Age 10 to 14 428 277 151
Age 15 to 19 450 254 196
Age 20 to 24 544 271 273
Age 25 to 29 727 380 347
Age 30 to 34 851 407 444
Age 35 to 39 993 465 528
Age 40 to 44 1,289 607 682
Age 45 to 49 1,628 696 932
Age 50 to 54 1,696 777 919
Age 55 to 59 1,759 777 982
Age 60 to 64 2,151 1,008 1,143
Age 65 to 69 1,979 903 1,076
Age 70 to 74 2,227 986 1,241
Age 75 to 79 2,345 995 1,350
Age 80 to 84 2,237 870 1,367
Age 85 and over 2,310 761 1,549

2011 Census – Table LC3101EWls – Long term health problem or disability by sex by age
ONS Crown Copyright Reserved [from Nomis]

Marriage and Civil Partnership

Age All categories: Marital and civil partnership status Single (never married or never registered a same-sex civil partnership) Married In a registered same-sex civil partnership Separated (but still legally married or still legally in a same-sex civil partnership) Divorced or formerly in a same-sex civil partnership which is now legally dissolved Widowed or surviving partner from a same-sex civil partnership
All categories: Age 16 and over 160,840 64,689 72,157 551 4,173 11,083 8,187
Age 16 to 17 4,418 4,396 9 1 2 6 4
Age 18 to 19 3,849 3,816 25 1 2 3 2
Age 20 to 24 12,452 11,606 754 11 46 25 10
Age 25 to 29 19,877 14,623 4,799 39 178 219 19
Age 30 to 34 20,904 9,862 9,898 73 470 567 34
Age 35 to 39 17,255 5,637 10,026 72 539 930 51
Age 40 to 44 15,504 4,430 8,944 56 679 1,288 107
Age 45 to 49 14,039 3,461 8,054 80 722 1,566 156
Age 50 to 54 11,294 2,134 6,790 67 485 1,561 257
Age 55 to 59 9,349 1,412 5,891 41 353 1,285 367
Age 60 to 64 8,777 1,083 5,441 51 272 1,336 594
Age 65 to 69 6,374 679 3,885 17 182 922 689
Age 70 to 74 5,506 508 3,234 20 121 623 1,000
Age 75 to 79 4,524 431 2,238 11 79 415 1,350
Age 80 to 84 3,441 325 1,405 7 24 208 1,472
Age 85 and over 3,277 286 764 4 19 129 2,075

2011 Census – Table -DC1107EW – Marital and civil partnership status by sex by age
ONS Crown Copyright Reserved [from Nomis]

Religion and Belief

Religion All categories: Age Age 0 to 15 Age 16 to 24 Age 25 to 34 Age 35 to 49 Age 50 to 64 Age 65 to 74 Age 75 and over
All categories: Religion 199,693 38,853 20,719 40,781 46,798 29,420 11,880 11,242
Christian 111,993 20,301 9,966 20,882 25,636 18,312 8,191 8,705
Buddhist 1,884 242 213 419 575 308 84 43
Hindu 12,203 2,790 1,199 2,698 2,980 1,639 587 310
Jewish 791 132 47 108 184 133 73 114
Muslim 16,262 4,499 2,500 3,257 3,464 1,623 625 294
Sikh 498 68 59 131 111 79 24 26
Other religion 810 93 78 173 228 156 45 37
No religion 41,231 7,543 5,286 10,639 10,557 5,020 1,309 877
Religion not stated 14,021 3,185 1,371 2,474 3,063 2,150 942 836

2011 Census – Table LC2107EW – Religion by sex by age
ONS Crown Copyright Reserved [from Nomis]