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:
- Age
- Being or becoming a transsexual person
- Being married or in a civil partnership
- Being pregnant or on maternity leave
- Disability
- Race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin
- Religion, belief or lack of religion/belief
- Sex
- Sexual orientation
Please find a profile on theĀ 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]