The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is today launching a set of proposals including abolishing the default retirement age, extension of the right to request flexible working to all, overhauling employer recruitment practices to stop discrimination and improved access to training and development.

The move comes as the House of Lords considers the removal of the default retirement age through the Equality Bill.
 
The policy, part of the Commission’s Working Better initiative, aims to tackle the chronic under employment, low-paid employment and low income experienced by older Britons.
 
The Commission adds it will be working closely with employers to develop guidance for organisations to implement non-discriminatory recruitment practices.
  
Baroness Margaret Prosser, deputy chair of the EHRC, says: “This is about developing a way of working that is based on the demographics of today’s populations and moving away from systems established when people died not long after reaching state pension age and women were supported by their husbands.

“Britain has experienced a skills exodus during the recession and as the economy recovers we face a very real threat of not having enough workers - a problem that is further exacerbated by the skills lost by many older workers being forced to retire at 65.”

Chris Ball, chief executive of The Age and Employment Network (TAEN), says: “It is confusing that we have the Department for Work and Pensions telling us to extend working lives and planning to increase State Pension Age to 68, while the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills obliges capable people to retire.

“We do not support the view that a mandatory retirement age is of value to business. Its research confirms this view among employers and countries such as the US manage without it.”

Denise Keating, chief executive of the Employers Forum on Age (EFA), says: “The EFA has been campaigning against the default retirement age for many years, so we are only too happy to see bodies like the EHRC join the fight and help us continue to highlight the UK’s incredibly outdated retirement rules.

“Forcibly retiring someone because of their age is a discrimination that that leaves many willing and able workers over 65 out of employment. Removal of the default retirement age is the only answer and we want the government to commit to this.”