Mature Times - Age Discrimination

Dame Joan to be a voice for older people

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:04:37 +0000

Broadcaster and writer Dame Joan Bakewell has agreed to be a ‘Voice of Older People’. Dame Joan will help raise the profile of age equality issues and encourage public debate, particularly as the Equality Bill progresses through Parliament and as work towards implementing a ban on harmful age discrimination is taken forward.

Dismay as age discrimination law "kicked into the long grass"

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:04:53 +0000

Help the Aged has reacted with dismay to a written ministerial statement from Phil Hope, Minister of State for Care Services, which outlines proposals for legislation against age discrimination in health and social care will take at least another 18 months before it's even drafted.

Age discrimination "continues to be a major barrier for older jobseekers"

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:06:50 +0000

Only 10 percent of respondents to an online survey of jobseekers aged 50+ could say they had “never experienced age discrimination when looking for work” and just 13 percent thought the age discrimination legislation introduced in October 2006 had helped older people find work.

Reflections on the Heyday Challenge

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:59:58 +0100

There has been disappointment over the failure (to date) of the Heyday challenge over the default retirement age in the European Court of Justice to deliver a surprise “get out of jail free” card. Chris Ball, CEO of The Age and Employment Network puts the current situation in context.

Civil Service removes retirement age

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:50:39 +0100

The Cabinet Office has announced plans to remove the mandatory retirement age across the civil service - sparking hopes that other employers will now follow suit and mark an end to the 'Default Retirement Age'.

Wales' 'Coming of Age'

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:21:33 +0100

Ruth Marks, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, has just published "Coming of Age" - the first report to come from the groundbreaking new body.

Age legislation: have we seen any real progress in the last two years?

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:16:31 +0100

It's two years since the "anti age discrimination" legislation came into force in the UK. But how much as really changed since then? By Beth Vaughan of The Employers Forum on Age.

Age discrimination at work - outrageous and outdated

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:34:34 +0100

With Rupert Murdoch, George Soros and Warren Buffett all over 76, one has to wonder why 'John Doe' cannot continue doing the accounts at Nestle at the age of 66.

Ageism: now let’s finish the job

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:23:46 +0100

In August, Mike O’Brien, Minister of State for Pensions Reform set out the Government’s position on ageism. Fine words, says Kate Jopling, Head of Public Affairs at Help the Aged. But there is still a lot more to be done to eradicate discrimination.

“Age gap” an urban myth, claims new research

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:13:07 +0100

Young and older people have nothing in common and we are a nation who don't know our neighbours? Rubbish, claims new research are urban myths, according to new research sponsored by the Government.

Choose to retire? We don't have a choice

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:33:08 +0100

Many people have no choice about retiring or not; particularly with the national default retirement age that gives employers, not employees the choice of when to retire. The second misconception is that there is a ‘normal retirement age’. There is no ‘normal’ retirement age. The third is that older people work to earn ‘some extra money’. Many older people must work to earn a living and pay the rising cost of living.

Time to shame the ageists

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:35:45 +0100

The new Equalities Bill about to make its way through Parliament heralds a golden opportunity to rid society of the one form of discrimination which remains legally acceptable and which still blights the lives of millions of people: ageism.

Labour's vision for an ageing society

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:28:45 +0100

Ageism, says Mike O’Brien, Minister of State for Pensions Reform is still too often the “acceptable face of prejudice”. Here he sets out how the new Equalities Bill being put through parliament aims to tackle a problem ingrained into our national psyche - and you respond.

"Time for you to retire," MPs told as a wake up call to ageism

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:44:46 +0100

In a move nothing short of genius, The Employers Forum on Age (EFA) has highlighted the UK’s outdated retirement rules by hitting MPs where it hurt: sending out a spoof letter giving notice of retirement to all 78 MPs who are 65 and over.

"Consign ageism to the dustbin of history"

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:40:39 +0100

Britain’s biggest pensioner organisation, the National Pensioners Convention (NPC), has welcomed the Government's publication of the Equality Bill, but has called for more practical measures to change attitudes towards the older population. Age Concern and Help the Aged have described it as a "massive step forward", but say that now is the time for the public to press their MPs to make sure the legislation happens as soon as possible.