The Equality Act 2010 makes discrimination against either sex unlawful, with one major exception.
An employer is able to give special treatment to women for a reason linked to pregnancy or childbirth, provided that this 'goes no further than is reasonably necessary to compensate the woman for any disadvantage suffered through being pregnant or on maternity leave' (Law at Work 2020, p 222). If not, a man may have a claim for direct sex discrimination.