Equality and Human Rights Commission

A ban on age discrimination in services, public functions and associations will take effect on 1st October 2012. This website will be updated shortly to provide more information.

Legislation relating to age discrimination includes the following:

Note: The law on age discrimination will change on October 1st 2012 to bring in a ban on age discrimination in the provision of services, carrying out public functions and activities of clubs and associations. This website will be updated with new guidance shortly.

The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006: 
This legislation effective from October 2006 means that employers can no longer discriminate against employees on grounds of age.

Age Positive, part of DWP, has kindly given us permission to present some of their publications on our website, since the Commission has not yet produced its own publications about discrimination on the grounds of age.

These guides to the 21st Century workforce cover all areas of employment – from recruitment and retention, to flexible working and retirement – helping everyone involved in employment get the best out of people of all ages. To download these publications, see Related documents.

Age Regulations legal challenge (the 'Heyday' case)

The charity Age Concern and Help the Aged (Age UK) sought a judicial review of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 just after the Regulations were published.  The case against the UK Government argues that the Age Regulations had improperly implemented the EU’s 2000 Equal Treatment Directive by including a national default retirement age applicable to all UK workers.  For more information on the progress of the 'Heyday' case see Legal updates.