Age equality

The Age Equality (Employment) Regulations came into force on 01 October 2006. They make it unlawful to discriminate against workers, employees, job seekers and trainees because of their age.

The regulations, which apply to all employers, cover employment-related issues such as recruitment, terms and conditions, promotions, transfers, dismissals and training. They do not cover the provision of goods and services.

The key points of the regulations are:

  • Remove upper age limits on unfair dismissal and redundancy.
  • Set a national default retirement age of 65, making compulsory retirement below 65 unlawful unless objectively justified.
  • Give employees the right to request to work beyond 65 or any other retirement age set by the company.
  • Ensure that the employer considers such requests.

Age Concern

Age Concern has launched a campaign urging the government to introduce legislation to outlaw age discrimination.

They also present the case for public sector authorities to be subject to a legal duty to promote age equality in all aspects of their work. An age equality duty - referred to as a ‘positive duty’ on age- would mean that public authorities including primary care trusts and acute trusts would be under an obligation to promote equality of opportunity between people of different ages and eliminate age discrimination.

The report covers the main areas of concern for the charity and includes health services.

Age Concern’s view is:

"Ageist attitudes must be rooted out of the NHS. Older people should receive appropriate care and their dignity protected. There should be equitable access to treatment based on clinical need alone. Older patients should be consulted about how services can meet their needs, and the NHS must ensure that it identifies and tackles persistent inequalities relating to age."

Download the Age Concern report: Age of equality? Outlawing discriminatition beyond the workplace (PDF 1.0MB). [How to access PDF files].

The RCN will be working on an age equality policy in the forthcoming months, so please visit this page regularly for updates.