Age discrimination law yet to impact on firms

Age discrimination laws brought in during 2006 to protect the elderly are yet to impact on UK firms because 50 per cent of companies do not employ any staff over 65 years old.

According to the seventh annual Employee Benefits Survey conducted by Origen, in sectors like IT, telecoms and the media the figure rises to 80 per cent.

The new laws outlawed age discrimination in employment and vocational training, and compulsory retirement age below 65 is only legal where it can be objectively justified.

One thing that came out of the research was that the retail sector is recognising the management skills of elderly workers, with almost 20 per cent of firms in the sector actively recruiting staff over age 65.

The research also found that small and medium-sized enterprises are more likely to have employees over the age of 65, while employers in the north of England are least likely (34 per cent) to have employees over this age, compared with those in the south (54 per cent).

The news comes as the government Equalities Office outlined further proposals for a new legal ban on harmful age discrimination, in a new consultation document, Equality Bill: Making it work – ending age discrimination in services and public functions.