More than one in four of the cases lodged with the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) is a discrimination claim.

But Mr Justice Elias, president of EAT, told The Times that discrimination isn't more widespread that it was when the legislation came into force 25 years ago.

He said:

“I’m sure that the law has had some impact in changing people’s attitudes...employers are very much aware of the need not to discriminate and there’s quite a lot of training provided.

"It may be that it starts as a purely defence mechanism by employers concerned not to disobey the law, and perhaps not to make large payments, but I like to think that it's also a recognition that this is how they should behave and that there is much greater appreciation of the unfairness discrimination creates."