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Age discrimination 'rooted in British society' |
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 Age-related discrimination is still rooted in British society, according to research from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
On surveying more than 2,000 adults in the UK, it found that on average, respondents thought that 'youth' ends at the age of 41 and 'old age' begins at 59, with the barriers increasing in relation to the age of the respondent.
Over a third of respondents said they had been shown some age-related prejudice in the last year, a rise on the previous quarter. However, it was people under 25-years-old who were found to experience the most age discrimination.
In the work environment, the survey found that most people would accept a suitably-qualified 30-year-old or 70-year-old as their boss, although more people thought an older boss was 'unacceptable' than a younger one.
The findings could come as a surprise to experienced admin staff and other employees with established careers, particularly with the pension age rising.
Chief executive of the Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion, Denise Keating, commented: "While many companies have solid diversity policies, this may not run throughout the company, which is an issue that needs to be addressed.
"It is important that employers do all they can to ensure this does not lead to discrimination or favouritism of any kind, which could cause the exclusion of talented individuals from the workplace."
Posted by Mary King
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