This guidance is primarily designed for adjudicating bodies which determine cases brought under the Equality act 2010. The definition of disability for the purposes of the Act is a legal definition and it is only adjudicating bodies which can determine whether a person meets that definition. However, the guidance is also likely to be of value to a range of people and organisations as an explanation of how the definition operates. The definition of disability has a number of elements. The guidance covers each of these elements in turn. Each section contains an explanation of the relevant provisions of the Act which supplement the basic definition. Guidance and illustrative examples are provided where relevant. The Act generally defines a disabled person as a person with a disability. A person has a disability for the purposes of the Act if he or she has a physical or mental impairment and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Therefore, the general definition of disability has a number of elements. The guidance covers each of these elements in turn. In order to be protected by the Act, a person must meet the Act’s definition of disability as explained in this document.