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24/2/26 Economic Output of Post State Pension Age Workforce Dwarfs Costs of Triple Lock

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24/2/26 Economic Output of Post State Pension Age Workforce Dwarfs Costs of Triple Lock

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Economic Output of Post State Pension Age Workforce Dwarfs Costs of Triple Lock

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Our new analysis shows the considerable, and growing, economic contribution made by older people working past state pension age.

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24/2/26 56 is too old to be wearing the latest fashions, according to the Great British public

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24/2/26 56 is too old to be wearing the latest fashions, according to the Great British public

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56 is too old to be wearing the latest fashions, according to the Great British public

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New polling for the launch of year three of our Age Without Limits campaign reveals new insights into everyday ageism in the UK. The Age Without Limits nationwide advertising campaign runs across digital, outdoor and audio until late May 2026.

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9/12/25 ‘Discarded like a used tissue’: Readers on how ageism is forcing over-50s out of work

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9/12/25 ‘Discarded like a used tissue’: Readers on how ageism is forcing over-50s out of work

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‘Discarded like a used tissue’: Readers on ageism forcing over-50s out

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Readers shared stories of being pushed out of work in their fifties and sixties, describing age discrimination, financial hardship and wasted experience in a labour market that still undervalues older workers

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7/10/25 Retaining older workers vital to meeting government's house building and infrastructure drive

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7/10/25 Retaining older workers vital to meeting government's house building and infrastructure drive

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Retaining older workers vital to meeting government’s house building and infrastructure drive

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The construction industry is experiencing a skills and labour shortage with thousands more workers needed to help the government meet its house building and infrastructure ambitions.

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7/10/25 Ageism in the workplace: why it's time to break the bias at both ends

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7/10/25 Ageism in the workplace: why it's time to break the bias at both ends

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Blog - Ageism in the Workplace 2025: Why Age Diversity Matters

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Ageism still impacts young and older workers in 2025. Discover why tackling age bias benefits business and how age-diverse teams drive success.

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13/8/25 How trade unions can support 50+ workers facing the threat of redundancy

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13/8/25 How trade unions can support 50+ workers facing the threat of redundancy

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Ageing Better have partnered with the TUC to develop a guide for union reps highlighting the differing levels of support that people aged over 50 may need while experiencing restructuring and redundancy.

Communications officer, unionlearn

Sign up to receive the latest news, research, policy updates and events about ageing.

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How trade unions can support 50+ workers facing the threat of redundancy

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Ageing Better have partnered with the TUC to develop a guide for union reps highlighting the differing levels of support that people aged over 50 may need while experiencing restructuring and redundancy.

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20/8/25 The significant gap in the government's 2025 Industrial Strategy  

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20/8/25 The significant gap in the government's 2025 Industrial Strategy  

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The significant gap in the government’s 2025 Industrial Strategy

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The government has published its Industrial Strategy with a 10-year vision to increase business investment and grow the industries of the future in the UK, writes our Deputy Director for Work, Elaine Smith.

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1/9/25 Getting your culture right for older workers

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1/9/25 Getting your culture right for older workers

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Getting your culture right for older workers

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Tourism, hospitality, leisure and retail can often be perceived as employment sectors that appeal predominately to younger people, but they can offer attractive work and career options for older workers too

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28/8/25 What the English Devolution Bill means for the age-friendly movement in England

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28/8/25 What the English Devolution Bill means for the age-friendly movement in England

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What the English Devolution Bill means for the age-friendly movement in England

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A substantial reform of local authority structures is set to get underway across England.

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15/7/25 The latest stage of the Age Without Limits campaign features a reality TV star taking a hammer and golf club to fragile household items.

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15/7/25 The latest stage of the Age Without Limits campaign features a reality TV star taking a hammer and golf club to fragile household items.

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The Traitors’ Diane Carson Smashing Ageist Stereotypes

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The latest stage of the Age Without Limits campaign features a reality TV star taking a hammer and golf club to fragile household items.

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13/5/25 How workplace ageism hurts everyone

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13/5/25 How workplace ageism hurts everyone

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How workplace ageism hurts everyone—and the bottom line | Samantha Dzabic | TEDxBurleigh Heads

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Sign up to the Age-friendly Employer Pledge and show you recognise the value of older workers

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We need to change the way we think about ageing | Age without limits

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The Age Without Limits campaign aims to change the way we all think about ageing and support a growing movement of people and organisations working to make society more age-inclusive.

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3/3/25 Age discrimination payouts jumped 600 per cent last year, analysis finds

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3/3/25 Age discrimination payouts jumped 600 per cent last year, analysis finds

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Age discrimination payouts jumped 600 per cent last year, analysis finds

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Separate government report urges UK to tackle ‘pervasively ageist’ culture, as experts highlight ‘stark warning’ to employers

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28/1/25 Tackling age discrimination in the workplace

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28/1/25 Tackling age discrimination in the workplace

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Tackling age discrimination in the workplace

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Our final article in this series discussing different protected characteristics and the discrimination claims they give rise to, focuses on age, how employers can fall foul of the law and the steps they need to take to avoid age discrimination claims.

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Multigenerational teams are good for business; they bring a wealth of different viewpoints and insights. Over 50s are a valuable part of this multi-generational workforce and contribute a wealth of experience. With an ageing workforce and labour shortages, this demographic will become increasingly dominant and important (by 2025 one in three workers will be 50 or over).
Join us during National Older Workers Week where we will be sharing the latest insights and best practice to ensure employers have the right policies and procedures in place that both attract and retain older workers and ensure that their organisation is age diverse. We will also be holding an online Career Fair for jobseekers with expert advice and the opportunity to hear from age-friendly employers.

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National Older Workers Week is for employers who want to attract and retain older workers, and older workers who are looking for their next job.

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Multigenerational teams are good for business; they bring a wealth of different viewpoints and insights. Over 50s are a valuable part of this multi-generational workforce and contribute a wealth of experience. With an ageing workforce and labour shortages, this demographic will become increasingly dominant and important (by 2025 one in three workers will be 50 or over).
Join us during National Older Workers Week where we will be sharing the latest insights and best practice to ensure employers have the right policies and procedures in place that both attract and retain older workers and ensure that their organisation is age diverse. We will also be holding an online Career Fair for jobseekers with expert advice and the opportunity to hear from age-friendly employers.

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National Older Workers Week is for employers who want to attract and retain older workers, and older workers who are looking for their next job.

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Overtly ageist employers pay the price for such blinkered thinking

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Dr Emily Andrews from the Centre for Ageing Better argues that ageist employers harm both themselves and the economy.

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A 71-year-old primary school employee has won her age discrimination and unfair dismissal claim after her headteacher told her: 'We're not all going to be here forever'.
An employment judge found that the comment was "inherently ageist" and was a clear reference to the claimant having passed retirement age and being unlikely, in the headteacher's opinion, to work much longer.

Mrs Ware had been employed at Horsenden Primary School in the London Borough of Ealing since 2013 in three part-time roles: as an attendance/medical officer, a pool plant operator and a swimming school co-ordinator. When considered together, she was employed almost full-time.

In October 2022, she claimed there was a push, spearheaded by the headteacher Mrs Appelby, to remove her from her role because of her age and assumed proximity to retirement. The school's governing body and Ealing council maintained that Ware was dismissed for "some other substantial reason", namely a restructure, and denied any discriminatory conduct. They also argued that the aspects of the discrimination claim were out of time.

'We're not all going to be here forever'

The employment tribunal heard that in a meeting in November 2021, Appelby told Ware she was considering combining Ware's attendance/medical role with that of the welfare officer, who was shortly to retire.

Ware initially understood Appelby to be suggesting she take on that role full-time before the headteacher indicated that Ware would relinquish being attendance/medical officer in order to focus on the swimming school.

Ware raised various concerns, including that the swimming role was, at best, 30 hours per month and she would face a significant drop in income. She also made clear she was willing to discuss a different contract for the swimming school.

The tribunal found that, during this meeting, Appelby said to the claimant: "We're not all going to be here forever". It found Ware's evidence credible, having referred to the comment in quotation marks shortly after the meeting in an email.

By comparison, Appelby's evidence that the comment was not made, was not credible, according to the tribunal. She did not respond to the allegation made in Ware's email.

The judgment said: "We do not accept [Appelby's] explanation for this, namely that she considered the email to be for information only or that it did not require a response. Ms Appelby would clearly have appreciated the significance of such a comment and the risk of a discrimination allegation in light of it.

"In those circumstances, had she not made the comment as alleged, we would have expected her to respond to the email denying it. Ms Appelby did not respond to the email at all and did not deny having made the comment as alleged."

Ware's email also made it clear that she had no intention of retiring and raised her concerns about the merging of the attendance and welfare roles. She said that if the zero-hours role at the swimming school was posing a problem, she would be willing to discuss that further.

Swimming pool investigation

The following week, Appelby commenced an investigation into a number of closures of the swimming pool - relating to high-chlorine levels - following complaints from staff. To boost its income after the Covid lockdowns, the school was accepting more external bookings for the pool, and this was negatively affecting the water quality.

Other than a 10-minute discussion with the author the claimant was excluded from any meaningful input into the independent investigation report, despite Ware having responsibility for the quality of the pool water.

The tribunal accepted that Appelby had real concerns about the pool management and operation, and that she genuinely, but mistakenly, believed the claimant responsible for those failings. Appelby wrongly believed Ware was contracted to work 6.5 hours a week on the pool, but she actually worked 2.5 hours - half an hour per day.

In a meeting in January 2022, Appelby met Ware and informed her of a disciplinary investigation in relation to the pool closures. She handed her a letter inviting her to a disciplinary meeting about serious allegations that amounted to gross misconduct, and which could result in dismissal.

Suspension: threatening behaviour?

Ware returned to school the following day and asked school business manager Mrs Brady for a list of dates the pool had been closed.

Appelby claimed that Brady approached her shortly after, visibly upset and shaken saying she felt threatened by Ware and that she was trying to influence the outcome of the investigation.

Appelby said she was concerned that other staff would also be threatened and, after consulting with Ms Stock, an HR practitioner with Ealing council, she decided to suspend Ware pending an investigation.

The tribunal did not accept, however, that Brady felt threatened as there was nothing in a later email to suggest so. In fact, Brady's email was broadly reflective of Ware's account, that she was "trying to gather evidence to defend herself against serious, potentially employment-ending allegations".

The suspension letter made no reference to threatening or abusive behaviour but said Ware was suspended because she had made several attempts to discuss the matter with other staff.

Further, when Ware left the school after her suspension, Brady sent a colleague out to check she was okay before driving. "If Ms Brady had been visibly upset, shaken and threatened by the claimant, as is now alleged, that would be a surprising thing for her to have done," said the judgment.

"The suspension was wholly unjustified," said the judgment. "The claimant had not been told that the allegations were to be treated confidentially."

After an investigation meeting, at which notes were taken by Appelby but not shared with Ware, Appelby concluded that there was no case to answer and further disciplinary action was not justified, primarily because of the misunderstanding about Ware's hours operating the pool. The independent report about the pool raised concerns about matters beyond the Ware's responsibility.

Ware was informed of the outcome on 31 January 2022 and asked to attend a meeting on 2 February 2022.

Restructure and redundancy

Meanwhile, in January, Appelby presented a report to the school's governors regarding the proposed reorganisation.

Appelby proposed that Ware's attendance/medical role and the welfare officer role be merged to create one full-time role, and that Ware's pool plant operator and swimming school co-ordinator roles be merged to create another full-time role. She proposed a formal consultation period from January to March 2022.

The proposed restructure was adopted by the governors at a meeting on 27 January 2022 where Appelby said the two new positions would be advertised and all applicants interviewed. There was no suggestion Ware would be prioritised for either role.

On 2 February 2022, Ware attended a meeting with Appelby as requested, which she had thought was about the disciplinary process, but where she learned the governors had already voted to approve the plan to "delete her role". The chair of governors, Ms Plummer, was also in attendance.

Appelby told Ware she would be able to apply for the roles once job descriptions had been created. She was told both roles would be advertised externally.

The tribunal did not accept Appelby's evidence that the reason there was no consultation after 2 February 2022 was "because the claimant had asked to be made redundant".

It did not accept that Ware made any such request nor that she gave any clear indication at all that she was not interested in either of the new roles, that she did not want to work full-time, or that she did not want to return to work.

The tribunal also rejected Plummer's evidence that if Ware had indicated any interest in the roles, a consultation would have followed, but that Ware had rejected "out of hand any alternatives".

"We do not accept that. No alternatives were given to the claimant for her to reject.... The claimant had not seen the job descriptions at that point. She did not know what the roles would entail. She did not know the salaries on offer. She did not know the exact hours on offer," reads the judgment.

Ware was also informed at this meeting that her suspension had been lifted but that she was "to refrain from her pool plant operator role" on her return to work. No justification was provided for that.

"This is, in our view, a clear example of the claimant being treated unfairly," said the tribunal. "It indicates to us that, notwithstanding the absence of any established case of gross misconduct, Ms Appelby did not think the claimant was 'up to the job' and did not want her to return to the role."

'Garden leave'

Plummer told Ware she could stay at home pending receipt of the job descriptions and her decision on how to proceed.

Ware remained at home from February until May 2022, awaiting further information from the school about the new roles. Although she did not personally send any emails chasing the job descriptions, her union representative sent an email to HR three weeks after the meeting confirming that Ware was told to take "garden leave" (his words) until the new job descriptions were available. He also asked when the consultation process would start.

HR said it never received the email, but the tribunal accepted it was sent and accurately reflected Ware's understanding at the time. It also supported the tribunal's finding that Ware had not made clear she wanted to take redundancy.

During this three-month period, Ware corresponded with the school about errors in her payslips and, in order to understand her options, she sought an accurate indication of her likely redundancy pay, were she to proceed down that route.

"Without that, she could not assess whether she could afford to retire or compare the likely redundancy pay with any new potential salary. Requesting redundancy figures is not the same as saying you are only interested in redundancy," reads the judgment.

On 5 May 2022, the school emailed Ware with an ultimatum: either she accept the redundancy figure, or return to work on 9 May.

The judgment said that Ware "felt under extreme pressure and reluctantly accepted the redundancy package, feeling very uncertain about her future options". Her last day of employment was 31 May 2022.

Job descriptions for the two new roles were created in May 2022, shortly after Ware accepted the redundancy payment.

The tribunal accepted that, if the job description and advert for the role of "swimming pool manager" had been created and offered to the claimant before 5 May, it is likely she would have accepted it. She held all of the desired experience, qualifications and training for the role. The salary was significantly higher than she had been previously paid.

Age discrimination decision

Employment judge Smeaton said the school had presented Ware with a binary choice: "Accept redundancy or return to work and apply, on a competitive basis, for an undefined role.

"She was left at home waiting for clarification for approximately three months before she concluded that she had no option but to accept the offer of redundancy. These failings were the responsibility of the respondents."

The tribunal found that Ware was unfairly dismissed, both substantively and procedurally.

It accepted that "the claimant has proved facts from which, in the absence of a non-discriminatory explanation, the tribunal could infer that a hypothetical comparator would have been treated differently and that the reason for the treatment was her age".

The judge said: "We accept that the comment made on 24 November 2021... and the dismissal form a continuing act of discrimination. Ms Appelby made the comment... because she was contemplating a reorganisation and expected the claimant to retire due to her age.

"Ms Appelby did not engage in meaningful consultation (etc) for the same reasons. They are not isolated, specific acts, but part of an ongoing state of affairs which started with Ms Appelby's first approach to the claimant about the new structure and ended with the claimant's dismissal.

"Accordingly, as the allegation of discrimination in respect of the dismissal is in time, the earlier act of discrimination is also in time."

A remedy hearing will be scheduled for a later date.

Education sector HR roles on Personnel Today

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Worker told 'we won't be here forever' wins ageism claim

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School worker wins age discrimination and unfair dismissal claim after being told 'We're not all going to be here forever'

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Centre for Ageing Better launches England’s first anti-ageism campaign — age discrimination

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The Centre for Ageing Better has recently launched England’s first anti-ageism campaign.

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According to a recent survey of 10,000 hiring managers, 42% of respondents admit to taking a candidate's age into account when reviewing job applications. Notably, age bias extends to both Gen Z (aged 18 to 27) and senior (aged over 60) candidates, with 40% and one-third of managers acknowledging bias against these groups respectively.

Methods used to determine age

Hiring managers are using a range of methods to estimate a candidate's age during the hiring process, including by looking at years of experience (82%), graduation year (79%), and even reviewing at a candidate's photo (46%). Stacie Haller, the chief career advisor at Resume Builder, highlights how such practices can instil age bias into recruitment decisions, detracting from candidates' qualifications and suitability for the role.

Impact of physical appearance

Physical appearance was found to contribute to age bias during interviews, particularly among older candidates, with 41% of hiring managers admitting that an "elderly" appearance could negatively impact a candidate's chances of securing a job, and 36% suggesting that candidates over 60 should take steps to appear younger during interviews.

Similarly, youthful appearance can also lead to discrimination, with 19% of managers stating that a youthful appearance deters them from considering an applicant, and 36% recommend that Gen Z candidates should "try to appear older during interviews".

Concerns about hiring Gen Z and senior candidates

Concerns cited by hiring managers about hiring older candidates include their likelihood of retirement (74%), potential health issues (64%), lack of experience with technology (48%), work pace (40%), mindset (39%), need for time off (30%), and poor social skills (20%). Among those respondents who admit to age bias against senior candidates, 64% believe it is advantageous to the company to avoid hiring senior candidates.

Moreover, hiring managers cite Gen Z's lack of experience (80%), unprofessional attitude (58%), tendency for job hopping (63%), unreliability and work ethic (50%) as reasons for their reluctance to hire them.

Challenges faced by Gen Z

The report highlights specific challenges faced by Gen Z, whose early career development was disrupted by the pandemic, with the shift to remote work arrangements and a lack of tailored training and onboarding support worsening negative biases against this group.

Looking ahead

HR leader, Bryan Driscoll, emphasises the value that Gen Z can bring to the workforce. Their technological proficiency, commitment on social and environmental issues, and need for meaningful work, can all contribute to improving a company's culture and fostering innovation.

He argues that the traits often associated with Gen Z reflect the changing world of work which has shaped this generation. In response, managers and business leaders need to recognise the importance of understanding and accommodating the evolving expectations of a modern workforce. Failure to do so could result in missed opportunities and difficulties in talent attraction and retention.

Indeed, with Gen Z projected to comprise approximately 30% of the global workforce by 2025, the onus will shift to managers to adapt to Gen Z's characteristics and preferences.

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New survey reveals age discrimination against Gen Z and older job candidates. - age discrimination

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A recent survey by Resume Builder reveals that over a third of hiring managers exhibit bias against Gen Z and older job candidates.

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Business Daily - Workplace ageism: How to fix it - Workplace ageism: How to fix it - BBC Sounds

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Catch up on your favourite BBC radio show from your favourite DJ right here, whenever you like. Listen without limits with BBC Sounds.

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It's not the passage of time that makes it so hard to get older. It's ageism, a prejudice that pits us against our future selves -- and each other. Ashton Applewhite urges us to dismantle the dread and mobilize against the last socially acceptable prejudice.

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Did you get the information you need from this page? Yes No

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LATEST AGE DISCRIMINATION CASES — age discrimination

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We aim to be a complete repository of all UK and European age discrimination cases. Contact us if you have a judgment that you would like to be included.

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Age Discrimination, examples types & tips

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Age Discrimination, examples types & tips

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What is Age discrimination? We explain its definition, areas covered and what constitutes discrimination

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Ageism is widespread in society and can be found everywhere from our workplaces and health systems to the stereotypes we see on TV, advertising and in the media.

In the UK, ageism is the most prevalent form of discrimination amongst all age groups, with one in three people experiencing age-based prejudice or discrimination.

The way people currently talk about ageing and older age is largely negative. To change this conversation we need to stop reinforcing these beliefs - and tell a new story. Small changes to the ways that we speak and write about ageing and older age, if applied consistently, could have a big impact.

We hope this guide gives people the confidence to challenge ageism and champion positive and realistic representations of ageing and later life.

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Challenging ageism: A guide to talking about ageing and older age

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Ageism is widespread in society and can be found everywhere from our workplaces and health systems to the stereotypes we see on TV, advertising and in the media. In the UK, ageism is the most prevalent form of discrimination amongst all age groups, with one in three people experiencing age-based prejudice or discrimination.

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Line managers and employees may be unaware that age discrimination legislation protects employees discriminated against because of their youth, as well as older workers. We round up five examples of claims that younger workers could bring.
1. Treating a young worker differently to an older worker

A manager or business owner who singles out for criticism younger members of staff solely because of their age is committing direct age discrimination.

In Osborne and another v Gondhia and others t/a Rutaba Partnership, the employment tribunal upheld the age discrimination claims of two young sisters who resigned from their jobs in a service station after what they felt was aggressive and unfair criticism.

The tribunal found that they were "not treated with the respect they deserved as employees" and the employer did not treat an older employee in the same way.

2. Inappropriate language to describe a young worker

Younger employees have won employment tribunal claims for age-based harassment. For example, the description of a young worker as "wet behind the ears" or a "young whippersnapper" might be discrimination.

The employment tribunal decision Roberts v Cash Zone (Camberley) Ltd and another provides an example for line managers of the sort of thing they should avoid.

The claimant won her age discrimination claim after showing that her line manager had referred to her as a "kid", and even described her as a "stroppy teenager".

The employment tribunal concluded that, when the line manager referred to the claimant's age, a stereotype was used that was related to age.

3. Refusal to pay a young worker the national minimum wage

National living wage

Employers will be required to pay the "national living wage" to workers aged 25 and over from April 2016.

Speculation has been rife that the Government could face a legal challenge to the age threshold on the basis that it discriminates against younger workers.

Employers must increase the wages of workers who have a relevant birthday to reflect the age bands for the national minimum wage.

The main adult rate applies to workers aged 21 and over, while the development rate is for workers aged 18 to 20. There is a separate rate for 16- and 17-year-olds.

It is age discrimination to dismiss a worker to avoid having to pay an increased rate of the national minimum wage where the worker moves into a higher age band.

The employment tribunal in Greer v Coulter (t/a Alphreso Cafe) described a small employer's decision to dismiss a young worker to avoid having to increase her pay to the required national minimum wage rate when she reached the age of 18 as "callous".

4. Imposing a job requirement that is too hard for young workers to meet

Indirect discrimination occurs where the employer imposes an unjustified requirement that is harder for a particular protected group to meet.

For example, a requirement for a minimum number of years' experience for a particular job may be indirectly discriminatory against a young person.

The leading case on indirect discrimination in recruitment and promotion is Homer v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police.

5. Dismissal of a young worker on the basis of age

Discrimination by perception

The Equality Act 2010 also covers discrimination because of someone's perceived age.

If someone looks younger than he or she is, and is discriminated against on this basis, this could be unlawful.
Definition of "perceptive discrimination"
The dismissal of a young worker may be age discrimination if the reason for termination is the employee's youth.

This will be the case even if the managers taking the decision to dismiss are around the same age as the claimant.

In Polat v Governing Body of the Skinners' Company's School for Girls and others the tribunal considered, but ultimately rejected, a young IT contractor's age discrimination claim after his assignment was ended.

The tribunal said that, although managers had said some unwise things in emails about his youth ("these bloody young boys"), the real reason for the decision was that he was difficult to manage.

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Age equality: five examples of discrimination against young workers

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Line managers and employees may be unaware that age discrimination legislation protects employees discriminated against because of their youth, as well as older workers. We round up five examples of claims that younger workers could bring. A manager or business owner who singles out for criticism younger members of staff solely because of their age is committing direct age discrimination.

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You may be fully aware that you have been subject to ageism, but in some situations it may not be so obvious.

Although ageism is often seen as a workplace issue, you may face it when you're out shopping, at the doctor's surgery, or even when ordering products and services over the phone.

Some examples of ageism include:

losing a job because of your age

being refused interest-free credit, a new credit card, car insurance or travel insurance because of your age

receiving a lower quality of service in a shop or restaurant because of the organisation's attitude to older people

being refused a referral from a doctor to a consultant because you are 'too old'

being refused membership to a club or trade association because of your age.

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What is ageism? | Discrimination & rights | Age UK

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You may be fully aware that you have been subject to ageism, but in some situations it may not be so obvious. Although ageism is often seen as a workplace issue, you may face it when you're out shopping, at the doctor's surgery, or even when ordering products and services over the phone.

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Are young people discriminated against for being young? | A-Z of ISMs Episode 25 - BBC Ideas

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Age doesn’t define you - Global Campaign to Combat Ageism - #AWorld4AllAges