On 8 April 2010 the Equality Act received royal assent after completing its parliamentary process on 6 April. It is an Act designed to make the law easier to understand and implement by simplifying 116 pieces of equality legislation into one single Act. The provisions in the Equality Act will come into force at different times to allow time for those that are affected by the new laws to prepare for them. The main provisions will come into force in October 2010. The integrated public sector Equality Duty, the Socio-economic Duty and dual discrimination protection which in various ways will directly effect FE and HE institutions will come into force in April 2011. The ban on age discrimination in provision of goods, facilities, services and public functions will come into force in 2012. Further details of the Act can be found on the Government Equalities Office (GEO) website at http://www.equalities.gov.uk/equality_bill.aspx.