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
4 results
Clear
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.
Government Equalities Office
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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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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.
Government Equalities Office
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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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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