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
1 result
Clear
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
View details
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
Parliament page
25 Mar 2025 Correspondence from Chief Executive, Hacked Off, re, The rights of older people, dated March 2025
Parliament page
19 Mar 2025 Correspondence from Charlotte Dewar, Chief Executive, IPSO, re the rights of older people, dated 11 March 2025
Parliament page
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
Parliament page
24 May 2024 Correspondence to the Minister for Women and Equalities, relating to the rights of older people, dated 23 May
Parliament page
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
Parliament page
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
Parliament page
28 Feb 2024 Correspondence from the Advertising Standards Authority, relating to the rights of older people, dated 12 February 2024
Parliament page