Forties People

People aged 40-plus who are looking for administration or PA jobs could be set to benefit from a new government initiative.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) this week said it plans to put social mobility at the heart of its plans to boost the UK economy.

Prime minister Gordon Brown said this would ensure that Britons from all walks of life would be given the opportunity to develop their talents and learn new skills.

"We can't be a truly aspirational society if some people are still denied the chance to get on," he commented.

"Although we have raised the glass ceiling, we have yet to break it."

However, Mr Brown noted that significant progress on the issue of social mobility has been made in recent years.

For example, he said one in three people of working age is a member of a profession, while the gender pay gap has narrowed.

The government is aiming to tackle issues such as the disparity between men and women's pay in the new Equality Bill.

This also contains measures to stop recruiters from rejecting job candidates because they are perceived to be too old.