March 2026
This information sheet gives a brief guide to the law and what to do if you are treated unfavourably because you are breastfeeding while out and about with your baby in public places.
For more information on your rights to continue to breastfeed on return to work, see the information sheet: Continuing to breastfeed when you return to work.
What does the law say?
The Equality Act 2010 says that it is discrimination to treat a woman unfavourably because she is breastfeeding. It applies to anyone providing services, benefits, facilities and premises to the public, public bodies, further and higher education bodies and association. Service providers include most organisations that deal directly with the public. Service providers must not discriminate, harass or victimise a woman because she is breastfeeding.
Discrimination includes refusing to provide a service, providing a lower standard of service or providing a service on different terms. Therefore, a cafe owner cannot ask you to stop breastfeeding, ask you to move or cover up or refuse to serve you.
How long does protection apply for?
There is no age restriction, the law protects you for as long as you wish to breastfeed your baby.
Where can a woman breastfeed?
You are protected in public places such as parks, sports and leisure facilities, public buildings and when using public transport such as buses, trains and planes. You are protected in shops, public, restaurants and hotels regardless of how big of small. You are also protected in places like hospitals, theatres, cinemas and petrol stations.
Am I protected if I am asked to stop breastfeeding at work?
If your employer provides services to the public, your employer is also responsible for the actions of its employees.
The law does not currently provide a right to time off at work to breastfeed but you have health and safety rights at work as an employee and the right to ask for flexible work. For more information, see: Continuing to breastfeed when you return to work. Employers are not obliged to provide facilities for expressing and storing milk but they may wish to as a matter of good practice and they must take steps to protect the health and safety of an employee who is breastfeeding on return to work.
What protection is there for students?
Further and higher education bodies must not discriminate, harass or victimise a student who is breastfeeding in terms of admission or provision of education or by excluding the student or subjecting her to any detriment. This includes access to benefits, facilities or services.
Which associations are included?
An association must not discriminate, harass or victimise a person because she is breastfeeding by refusing membership or discriminating in provision of benefits, facilities or services.
An association includes clubs, such as golf clubs, that have rules of membership, with at least 25 members, where members have to apply to join. Private clubs, with less than 25 members, that have no formal rules of membership, such as a book club, would not be counted as an association. Clubs where you simply pay a membership fee to join are not counted as an association but would be considered to be providing public services.
Are there some places where I cannot breastfeed in public?
Yes, it is not against the law to prevent a woman breastfeeding in a service which is a single sex service for men. This single sex service must be justified, for example, where only one sex needs it or one sex needs the service more than the other. Voluntary groups or charities set up specifically to benefit one sex may be acting lawfully if they exclude women. Religious organisations may offer services to one sex if it is in line with the doctrines of that religion. In some cases, where single sex services are justified, it would be reasonable to object to members of the opposite sex being there.
It is not against the law to prevent a woman breastfeeding where there are legitimate health and safety risks, for example, near to certain chemicals or radiation.
What can I do if I am discriminated against because I am breastfeeding?
If you have been asked to stop breastfeeding or to cover up or you have been refused services while you are out and about, you can make a complaint to the company or organisation. This includes complaints about how you were treated by other customers as well as members of staff.
Ask the company or organisation, e.g. restaurant, sports complex, cinema, if they have a complaints policy. This will tell you who to write to. Alternatively, you can look on their web page for their complaints policy or find the address of their Head Office.
You can make a complaint by email or by sending a letter, outlining what happened and when and who was involved. Think about what you would like to ask for to remedy the situation, for example, an apology and a commitment to providing staff training in breastfeeding rights. You can use the model letter below if you wish.
You could also send the company a tweet or post a comment on their Facebook page. This may be effective in raising awareness of their treatment of mothers who are breastfeeding but businesses are unlikely to treat tweets and Facebook comments as formal complaints so they may not investigate your complaint.
What can I do if I’m not happy with the response?
If you have made a complaint and you are unhappy about the service providers’ response you can take a case in a county court in England or Wales or a Sheriff court in Scotland. You should seek advice as these can be expensive cases to bring. You must start the case within 6 months of the day that it happened. This time limit will only be extended in very exceptional circumstances.
If you win your case, the court can order compensation which can include an amount for injury to feelings. The court can also issue an injunction or make a declaration that you have been discriminated against. If you lose, you may be ordered to pay the other side’s legal costs so it is very important to get expert advice.
Additional protection in Scotland
In Scotland a person has a right to breastfeed or bottle feed a child under two and it is a criminal offence to try to stop or to prevent a woman from feeding a child under two in any place in which the public has access and in which a child under two is entitled to be. Anyone who tries to stop or prevent a person feeding milk to a child under the age of two can be prosecuted and can face a claim under the Equality Act.
Employers are responsible for ensuring that their staff are fully aware of the law. If an employee tries to stop or prevent a woman from breastfeeding in the course of their employment, the employer may also be liable even if they were unaware of the incident. You should complain to the employer in the first instance and, if necessary, you can report the matter to the police.
Dear [add name]
I am writing to make a complaint about how I was treated while breastfeeding my baby whilst in your [shop/café/restaurant/cinema] at [give location] on [date of the incident].
[Give details of where you were, who was involved and what happened.]The Equality Act 2010 says that it is against the law to treat a woman unfavourably because she is breastfeeding. This covers any business or organisation that provides services to the public and it applies to any staff and customers of that business or organisation.
I would like to ask for an apology for the way I was treated. I also hope that [your organisation/name of business] will take action to prevent this from happening again such as providing training for staff on mothers’ rights to breastfeed while out and about in public places.
Yours sincerely, [Your name] [Your address/email address]
This information sheet was produced in March 2026. It is very important to get up-to-date advice as law and guidance changes.
This guide is for information purposes only and should not be treated as legal advice. You are strongly advised to get personal legal advice about the individual circumstances of your case.
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Where to go for more help
Equality Advisory Support Service
Help and advice on discrimination in relation to service providers and education providers (non-work claims) www.equalityadvisoryservice.com
Helpline: 0808 800 0082 Mon – Fri 9am – 7pm, Sat 10am – 2pm
Textphone: 0808 800 0084
Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)
For information and advice about discrimination law www.equalityhumanrights.com
More Maternity Action information sheets
Rights during pregnancy
Health and safety during pregnancy and return to work
Resigning from your job during pregnancy and maternity leave
Changing jobs or more than one job
Pregnant during maternity leave (when you are expecting again)
Premature births – rights to maternity leave and pay
Miscarriage stillbirth and neonatal death – rights to time off and pay
Maternity pay and benefits
Maternity and parental leave
Rights during maternity leave and return to work
Asking to change your working hours or go part-time
Redundancy, dismissal and discrimination
Rights during maternity leave and return to work
Redundancy during pregnancy, maternity and parental leave
Health and safety, breastfeeding and sickness
Sickness during pregnancy maternity leave and return to work
Health and safety during pregnancy and return to work
Postnatal depression and depression during pregnancy
Childbirth injuries – rights at work and benefits for new mothers
Breastfeeding on return to work
Breastfeeding while out and about
Self-employed, agency and zero hours work
Maternity and parental rights for agency workers
Maternity and parental rights if you are self-employed
Changing jobs or more than one job
Zero hours contracts – maternity and parental rights
Apprentices – maternity and parental rights at work
Fathers and partners, including same sex partners
Rights at work for fathers and partners
Adoption or surrogacy
Time off and pay for parents-surrogacy
Shared parental leave and pay – adoption
Available at www.maternityaction.org.uk