Stop the discrimination
13/05/2009
Promises to end discrimination against older people aren’t enough, argues Michelle Mitchell, Charity Director for Age Concern and Help the Aged. We need a solid commitment from the Government - and you can help achieve that.
The Government commitment to ban age discrimination almost a year ago was a fantastic step forward in the fight for age equality. People of all ages up and down the country campaigned for older people to enjoy an equal footing in society. And Age Concern and Help the Aged were applauded for bringing the issue to the Government’s attention.
But a commitment alone does not bring change. While the Equality Bill announced in April promises to ban ageism and improve older people’s lives, our job is to make sure it happens. That’s why Age Concern and Help the Aged is committed to three next steps in the battle to end age discrimination.
Firstly, we need to ensure the Bill is passed and includes all that it has promised on age equality – an outright ban on discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities and services and a duty on public bodies to ‘age proof’ their work. Over the years we have heard horror stories of older people being treated differently and suffering because of their age. In travel and motor insurance, older people regularly face higher premiums or find companies refusing to give them a quote, purely because of the date on their birth certificate. For one older man, a 65th birthday meant his travel insurance went up by nearly £700.
Secondly, we need to put pressure on the Government to publish draft regulations alongside the Bill so MPs and Peers can debate them.
Final regulations will then need to be approved and passed before the General Election because it is the regulations which will make the law work in practice. Take health and social care - for far too long older people have been denied medical treatment because of their age or have suffered due to the ageist attitudes of health and care professionals. Regardless of whether these attitudes are implicit or explicit, ageism in health and social care services can literally mean the difference between life and death. One older lady was told her back pain was just ‘old age’. A second opinion and closer examination showed a tumour the size of a football in her back. We cannot let this issue be lost as politicians attentions turn to getting re-elected.
Thirdly, we need to challenge the Government to use the opportunity provided by the Bill to end the unfair National Default Retirement
Age. Allowing people at 65 to be legally forced out of the
workplace makes a mockery of the legislation. It makes no economic sense in times of recession and it denies older people the opportunity to contribute to the economy and importantly save for their retirement at this crucial time of life.
According to a recent Age Concern and Help the Aged report, age discrimination is more commonly experienced than any other form of prejudice. ‘One Voice: Shaping our ageing society’ points out this prejudice is absorbed by older people and all too often can lead to reduced expectations in later life and unwillingness to challenge or even recognise unfair treatment. Our society should not be content to leave this unchallenged. Six out of ten people aged 65 and over believe age discrimination affects older people’s everyday lives, with just as many identifying it in the workplace. Legislation is the vital first step on the road to changing attitudes and that is why the Equality Bill must hold true to its promise for older people.
Treating people as equals should be applauded and banning ageism could dramatically change older people’s lives both now and in the future. It is now up to us to make sure the Government makes it happen.
To support the Age Concern and Help the Aged Just Equal Treatment campaign in the ongoing fight for equality for older people, please visit www.helptheaged.org.uk/justequaltreatment or call 020 7239 1944.