The rights of older people

Women and Equalities Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 20 Sep 2023 Closed: 3 Sep 2025 Parliament page
This inquiry considers key issues faced by older people from their own perspectives and those of expert witnesses, including discrimination lawyers and advocacy organisations. It examines whether there is enough focus on the issues and effective policies to tackle them. It looks at how well older people’s rights are protected … Read more
8 Recommendations
5 Conclusions
1 Report
5 Oral sessions
8 Letters
5 Events
Activity timeline 20 events
26 Jun
2025
Correspondence
16 May
2025
Report published
25 Mar
2025
Correspondence
19 Mar
2025
Correspondence
19 Mar
2025
Correspondence
19 Feb
2025
Report published
11 Dec
2024
Oral evidence
11 Dec
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
24 May
2024
Correspondence
15 May
2024
Correspondence
17 Apr
2024
Oral evidence
17 Apr
2024
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
11 Dec 2024
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Women and Equalities Committee
Caroline Abrahams CBE · Age UK Dr Carole Easton OBE · Centre for Better Ageing Joanna Elson CBE · Independent Age Rhian Bowen-Davies · Older People's Commissioner for Wales
17 Apr 2024
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Women and Equalities Committee
Alice Gould · Independent Press Standards Organisation Kate Biggs · Ofcom Malcolm Phillips · Committee of Advertising Practice
28 Feb 2024
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Women and Equalities Committee
Jonathan Boys · Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Natalie Hall · 55/Redefined Nicola Smith · TUC Professor Wendy Loretto · University of Edinburgh Business School
7 Feb 2024
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Women and Equalities Committee
Councillor Gillian Ford · Local Government Association Declan O'Dempsey · Cloisters Chambers Dr Alysia Blackham · Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne Dr Emilene Zitkus · Loughborough University Helen Dobson · Citizens Online John Kirkpatrick · Equality and Human Rights Commission
10 Jan 2024
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Women and Equalities Committee
Carole Easton OBE · Centre for Ageing Better Caroline Abrahams CBE · Age UK Heléna Herklots CBE · Older People's Commissioner for Wales Joanna Elson CBE · Independent Age
Title HC No. Published Items Response
3rd Report - The rights of older people HC 414 19 Feb 2025 13 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
13 results
1 Recommendation Not Addressed
3rd Report - The rights of older p…
Require Ofcom and ASA to introduce specific rules against ageist stereotyping in media.
There is clear evidence that ageist stereotyping, including portrayals of older people as frail, helpless or incompetent, or conversely as wealth- hoarding “boomers”, is highly prevalent across all media in the UK and that this is a significant contributory factor … Read more
Government Response
The government repeats the committee's conclusion regarding ageist stereotyping in media and its negative impact.
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2 Recommendation Accepted in Part
3rd Report - The rights of older p…
Require Ofcom to prioritise age diversity in broadcasting workforce EDI strategies and reports.
We welcome Ofcom’s prioritisation of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and its annual report on EDI in the broadcasting workforce. We note, however, that, despite glaring underrepresentation of older people in radio and television, this is not currently a priority … Read more
Government Response
Ofcom agrees with the need for robust analysis on a range of EDI characteristics, which they have been doing since 2017, including collecting age data from broadcasters. However, their legal duties in relation to equality of opportunity are limited to sex, race, and disability, so they collect other information voluntarily.
Government Equalities Office
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3 Conclusion Deferred
3rd Report - The rights of older p…
Editor's Code of Practice inadequately protects older people from age discrimination.
The Editor’s Code of Practice must balance the rights of individuals to protection from discrimination with freedom of expression in the press. The complete omission of age from clause 12 on discrimination gets this balance wrong, leaving older people unprotected … Read more
Government Response
The government notes IPSO's role in informing the committee and states that the recommendation regarding the Editor's Code of Practice has been shared with the Editors' Code Committee, which will discuss the issue.
Government Equalities Office
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12 Recommendation Deferred
3rd Report - The rights of older p…
Mandate Editors’ Code of Practice Committee to include age in clause 12.
The justification of the omission of age from clause 12, set out in the Editors’ Codebook, that journalists must be free to comment on public figures who are “past their prime” is itself overtly ageist. We recommend the Editors’ Code … Read more
Government Response
The government notes IPSO's role in informing the committee and states that the recommendation regarding the Editor's Code of Practice has been shared with the Editors' Code Committee, which will discuss the issue; the Code Committee has removed the phrase in question from the 2025 version of the document.
Government Equalities Office
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4 Recommendation Accepted in Part
3rd Report - The rights of older p…
Require government to ensure and promote social tariffs for older people, strengthening regulation.
Social broadband and mobile phone tariffs can allow eligible low-income households to make significant savings on their bills, yet few eligible older people are aware of them. The Government should work with groups representing older people and broadband and mobile … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation to work with partners to promote awareness of social tariffs, referencing its Digital Inclusion Action Plan. However, it currently has no plans to strengthen regulatory regimes for mandated social tariffs but will monitor the market.
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5 Conclusion Not Addressed
3rd Report - The rights of older p…
Government’s outdated Digital Inclusion Strategy fails to address older people’s digital exclusion.
Older age is not in itself a cause of digital exclusion but strongly correlates with some of the key measures, including lack of broadband at home and non-ownership of a smartphone. There is also a large number of “hidden” digitally … Read more
Government Response
The government repeats the committee's conclusion regarding digital exclusion among older people.
Government Equalities Office
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6 Recommendation Accepted
3rd Report - The rights of older p…
Publish refreshed Digital Inclusion Strategy with detailed focus on older people’s digital needs.
The Government must bring forward a refreshed Digital Inclusion Strategy. The Strategy should have a detailed focus on the needs of digitally excluded older people, including a plan for funding locally delivered digital skills provision and promoting best practice in … Read more
Government Response
The government states it has already published a Digital Inclusion Action Plan, which addresses the recommendation by focusing on older people, funding local initiatives through an Innovation Fund, promoting best practice, and improving connectivity via Project Gigabit.
Government Equalities Office
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7 Conclusion Acknowledged
3rd Report - The rights of older p…
Age discrimination law is ineffective, poorly enforced, and fails to protect older people.
There is a wealth of evidence that age discrimination is highly prevalent in the UK and widely perceived as less serious and harmful than other forms of discrimination. Age discrimination law, in particular the allowance of objective justification of direct … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of protections against age discrimination and highlights existing protections in the Equality Act 2010, as well as the EHRC's strategic plan to improve compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty.
Government Equalities Office
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8 Recommendation Rejected
3rd Report - The rights of older p…
Commission EHRC to review effectiveness of age discrimination protections in Equality Act.
We recommend the Government commission and fund the Equality and Human Rights Commission to review the effectiveness of protections against age discrimination provided by the Equality Act and Public Sector Equality Duty in England, including but not limited to consideration … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects commissioning and funding the EHRC for a review on age discrimination protections, stating it is for the EHRC to allocate its own resources. It highlights existing strong protections in the Equality Act and other government actions for older people.
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9 Conclusion Not Addressed
3rd Report - The rights of older p…
Government lacks a comprehensive strategy to address the challenges of an ageing population.
Our growing ageing population presents a range of significant cross- departmental challenges and opportunities, and there is a huge breadth of issues facing an increasingly diverse older population. The lack of a strategy within Government on how to respond to … Read more
Government Response
The government repeats the committee's conclusion that our growing aging population presents significant cross-departmental challenges and opportunities and that the lack of strategy is concerning.
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10 Conclusion Not Addressed
3rd Report - The rights of older p…
Developing a Government strategy for ageing and older people's rights is a crucial first step.
Evidence to us and our predecessor Committee emphasised the importance of joined-up and strategic work to tackle ageist attitudes and discrimination across society, including in access to healthcare, local services, banking and transport. While there is a very strong prima … Read more
Government Response
The government repeats the committee's conclusion that our growing aging population presents significant cross-departmental challenges and opportunities and that the lack of strategy is concerning.
Government Equalities Office
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11 Recommendation Accepted
3rd Report - The rights of older p…
Establish a data and policy analysis unit within Cabinet Office for a cross-departmental ageing strategy.
We recommend the establishment of a unit of data and policy analysts within the Cabinet Office’s Office of Equality and Opportunity to build an evidence base on the key cross-departmental challenges, including intersectional issues, facing older people now and in … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects establishing a new unit of data and policy analysts, stating the Cabinet Office's Office of Equality and Opportunity already has analysts who undertake cross-government work on demographic change and ageing.
Government Equalities Office
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13 Recommendation Deferred
3rd Report - The rights of older p…
Establish a new framework for promoting older people's rights in England by year-end, evaluating Welsh model.
We recommend the Government examine the experience in Wales, with a view to replicating a similar framework across England. It should conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Commissioner for Older People 50 role in Wales and its comprehensive … Read more
Government Response
The government commits to considering the experience and effectiveness of the Commissioner for Older People in Wales, stating this will inform future thinking on potential action in England, but does not commit to establishing a framework by year-end.
Government Equalities Office
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Government Response AI assessment · 13 of 8 classified
Accepted 2
Accepted in Part 2
Acknowledged 1
Deferred 3
Not Addressed 4
Rejected 1
Total 8 recs + 5 conclusions
Correspondence 8 letters
26 Jun 2025 Correspondence from Secretary, Editors Code of Practice, re The rights of older people, dated 16.06.2025
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25 Mar 2025 Correspondence from Chief Executive, Hacked Off, re, The rights of older people, dated March 2025
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19 Mar 2025 Correspondence from Charlotte Dewar, Chief Executive, IPSO, re the rights of older people, dated 11 March 2025
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19 Mar 2025 Correspondence from Jo Poots, Project Sponsor and Head of Complaints and Investigations, Advertising Standards Authority, re the rights of older people, dated 28 Feb 2025
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24 May 2024 Correspondence to the Minister for Women and Equalities, relating to the rights of older people, dated 23 May
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15 May 2024 Correspondence from Minister of State (Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, Commonwealth and UN, relating to the rights of older people dated 8 May 2024
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17 Apr 2024 Correspondence to Lord Ahmad Minister of State (Middle East, N Africa, S Asia, UN and Commonwealth) Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, relating to the rights of older people, dated 17 April 2024
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28 Feb 2024 Correspondence from the Advertising Standards Authority, relating to the rights of older people, dated 12 February 2024
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