"Ban ageism - or risk losing the grey vote"
30/05/2008
Help the Aged has warned the Government that it risks alienating the country's 20 million older voters if it does not introduce legislation against age discrimination.
New research shows the current Government has not done enough to earn the votes of older people at the next election, according to nearly eight out of ten adults. The leading older people’s charity is today (May 30th) warning the Government it would be short-sighted not to listen to its electorate and is urging Gordon Brown and his minsters to do more for older people by making age discrimination illegal.
Although the detail of the upcoming Equality Bill is not expected until the Queen’s Speech in November, the Government is currently deliberating whether or not legislation against ageism will be included. Help the Aged is deeply concerned that despite the equivalent of 35 million adults (74 per cent) wanting age discrimination to be outlawed completely, the Government will deny older people their equal rights.
Paul Cann, Director of Policy and External Relations at Help the Aged, says: “It wasn’t too long ago that Gordon Brown in his conference speech promised he would deliver an end to discrimination on the basis of race, gender, sexuality, age or faith. Yet rampant ageism is rife in the UK and is still perfectly legal. The Prime Minister must stay true to his word and ban ageism completely.”
The Help the Aged research launched today also shows that:
• More than half of all adults (53 per cent) say the Government treats older people as second class citizens;
• Eight out of 10 adults (81per cent) wrongly assume age discrimination is already against the law;
Three out of five adults (59 per cent) think the Government tends to ignore older people.
Paul Cann, concludes: “Ageism is the only ‘ism’ that is still perfectly legal in the UK. It’s not surprising that the public think older people are treated as second class citizens while discrimination on the grounds of age remains within the letter of the law.
“Time and again Help the Aged has provided the Government with evidence of horrific age discrimination – prejudice that can sometimes mean the difference between life and death. So far, Gordon Brown’s Government seems happy to ignore it. If the Government decides not to outlaw ageism it will not only be ignoring older people, it will be ignoring the electorate.”
Evidence of age discrimination presented to the Government by Help the Aged, includes:
• The Department of Health has acknowledged that there are deep-rooted negative attitudes and behaviours towards older people and these are at the heart of failure to provide decent services for them;
• Older women with breast cancer receive a lower level of care than younger women;
• One in five people aged 75 and over have been refused travel insurance or had health-related restrictions imposed. This is five times more likely than for those aged 30-49;
• Older people using social care services do not enjoy the same level and quality of services as younger users. For example, care homes for older people are more likely to be over-crowded than homes for younger adults - this has serious implications for choice and quality provided.
The Help the Aged ‘Just Equal Treatment’ campaign is calling for the forthcoming Equality Bill to include concrete proposals for legislation against age discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities and services - including health and social care services.
Age is the only equality group not covered by discrimination legislation in this area. The Charity also wants the public sector equality duty - which currently requires local authorities to promote equality between people of different race, gender and disability status - extended to include age so older people’s needs are taken into account in public services.
People can support the Help the Aged ‘Just Equal Treatment’ campaign by visiting the webslite linked below.