Home : Equality & Rights :

Older people regularly face discrimination in every aspect of their lives. Help the Aged is campaigning for strong legislation to protect older people from age discrimination in employment and training, and in the provision of goods, facilities and services. We also want to see older people's human rights recognised and upheld.

This section contains information about our policy position on:

• age discrimination;
• human rights; and
• employment.

Policy statements

A Positive Equality Duty for Age (August 2007)

A call for the Government to logislate for an integrated positive equality duty which extends to all equality groups, including age, in the proposed Single Equality Act.

Age Equality (July 2007)

Equality means ensuring that all individuals (irrespective of their age) have the opportunity to live in the way they choose, according to their values; that their different needs, situations and goals are recognised and respected; and that they are treated equally with fairness, dignity and respect.In order to achieve equality in its true sense, age discrimination and ageism must first be eradicated. Some progress has been made on this but there is more to be done.

Reports

Age and Insurance - The case for and against legislation (April 2008)

Help the Aged's call for anti-discrimination legislation covering age in the provision of, and access to, goods, facilities and services.

Forgotton Voices (April 2008)

The Possible Remit and Powers of the Independent Commissioner for Older People in Northern Ireland (March 2008)

This paper gives a rationale for an Independent Commissioner for Older People (ICOP) in Northern Ireland and four possible models for the ICOP.

Age and Multiple Discrimination (October 2005)

Discussion paper from the Age Reference Group on Equality and Human Rights on older people's experience of multiple discrimination.

Rights at Risk (May 2005)

The Human Rights Act protects the 'equal dignity and worth' of each person. This penetrating review of older people's human rights finds that there are serious and widespread gaps in that protection.

Everyday Age Discrimination (April 2004)

A collection of case studies of age discrimination gathered from older people around the United Kingdom.

Age discrimination in public policy (January 2002)

Report reviewing evidence of both direct and indirect age discrimination in the public policy sectors of education, employment, health care, social care, social security, transport and citizenship.

Consultation responses

"Discrimination – Does it Matter?" European Commission consultation on possible future anti-discrimination initiative (October 2007)

“Discrimination – Does it Matter" Schedule 1 (October 2007)

“Discrimination – Does it Matter" Schedule 2 (October 2007)

Discrimination Law Review (September 2007)

The Help the Aged response to the Discrimination Law Review, A Framework for Fairness, which sets out the Government's proposalsa for a Single Equality Bill for Great Britain.

Disability Rights Commission (February 2006)

Help the Aged response to the Disability Rights Commission consultation on the definition of disability.

Opportunity Age (July 2005)

Help the Aged response to the publication of 'Opportunity Age' and the Government's attempt to pull together a complete strategy for an ageing society.