50 years of the Equal Pay Act 1970

It is nearly 50 years since the Equal Pay Act 1970 was passed. The Act was given Royal Assent on 29 May 1970, although it only came into force in 1975.

Although it was replaced by the Equality Act 2010, the passing of the Equal Pay Act remains an important step in the ongoing fight for equal pay. It allowed the first equal pay claims to be brought and paved the way for the law as it currently stands.

Throughout the month we are going to share information about the history of the Equal Pay Act 1970, including the events that lead to it being introduced, early cases that were brought under it and changes that have been made since it was passed. We will also consider the big question: how far have we come in 50 years?