Recommendations & Conclusions
13 items
1
Recommendation
3rd Report - The rights of older people
Not Addressed
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 to the normalisation of ageist attitudes. Ageism causes harm both …
Government response. The government repeats the committee's conclusion regarding ageist stereotyping in media and its negative impact.
Government Equalities Office
2
Recommendation
3rd Report - The rights of older people
Accepted in Part
We welcome Ofcom’s prioritisation of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and its annual report on EDI in the broadcasting workforce. We note, however, that, despite glaring underrepresentation of older people in radio and television, this is not currently a priority area for Ofcom or the sector. We believe increased age …
Government response. Ofcom agrees with the need for robust analysis on a range of EDI characteristics, which they have been doing since 2017, including collecting age data from broadcasters. However, their legal duties in relation to equality of opportunity are limited to …
Government Equalities Office
3
Conclusion
3rd Report - The rights of older people
Deferred
The Editor’s Code of Practice must balance the rights of individuals to protection from discrimination with freedom of expression in the press. The complete omission of age from clause 12 on discrimination gets this balance wrong, leaving older people unprotected and contributing to a widely held perception that ageism is …
Government response. The government notes IPSO's role in informing the committee and states that the recommendation regarding the Editor's Code of Practice has been shared with the Editors' Code Committee, which will discuss the issue.
Government Equalities Office
12
Recommendation
3rd Report - The rights of older people
Deferred
The justification of the omission of age from clause 12, set out in the Editors’ Codebook, that journalists must be free to comment on public figures who are “past their prime” is itself overtly ageist. We recommend the Editors’ Code of Practice Committee include age in clause 12 of the …
Government response. The government notes IPSO's role in informing the committee and states that the recommendation regarding the Editor's Code of Practice has been shared with the Editors' Code Committee, which will discuss the issue; the Code Committee has removed the phrase …
Government Equalities Office
4
Recommendation
3rd Report - The rights of older people
Accepted in Part
Social broadband and mobile phone tariffs can allow eligible low-income households to make significant savings on their bills, yet few eligible older people are aware of them. The Government should work with groups representing older people and broadband and mobile phone network providers to ensure the provision and promotion of …
Government response. The government accepts the recommendation to work with partners to promote awareness of social tariffs, referencing its Digital Inclusion Action Plan. However, it currently has no plans to strengthen regulatory regimes for mandated social tariffs but will monitor the market.
Government Equalities Office
5
Conclusion
3rd Report - The rights of older people
Not Addressed
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 excluded older people: those who appear to be online, having …
Government response. The government repeats the committee's conclusion regarding digital exclusion among older people.
Government Equalities Office
6
Recommendation
3rd Report - The rights of older people
Accepted
The Government must bring forward a refreshed Digital Inclusion Strategy. The Strategy should have a detailed focus on the needs of digitally excluded older people, including a plan for funding locally delivered digital skills provision and promoting best practice in the public and private sectors in maintaining offline alternatives to …
Government response. The government states it has already published a Digital Inclusion Action Plan, which addresses the recommendation by focusing on older people, funding local initiatives through an Innovation Fund, promoting best practice, and improving connectivity via Project Gigabit.
Government Equalities Office
7
Conclusion
3rd Report - The rights of older people
Acknowledged
There is a wealth of evidence that age discrimination is highly prevalent in the UK and widely perceived as less serious and harmful than other forms of discrimination. Age discrimination law, in particular the allowance of objective justification of direct age discrimination, contributes to this perception. The law as it …
Government response. The government acknowledges the importance of protections against age discrimination and highlights existing protections in the Equality Act 2010, as well as the EHRC's strategic plan to improve compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty.
Government Equalities Office
8
Recommendation
3rd Report - The rights of older people
Rejected
We recommend the Government commission and fund the Equality and Human Rights Commission to review the effectiveness of protections against age discrimination provided by the Equality Act and Public Sector Equality Duty in England, including but not limited to consideration of: • the implications for older people’s rights, and the …
Government response. The government rejects commissioning and funding the EHRC for a review on age discrimination protections, stating it is for the EHRC to allocate its own resources. It highlights existing strong protections in the Equality Act and other government actions for …
Government Equalities Office
9
Conclusion
3rd Report - The rights of older people
Not Addressed
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 these issues is concerning. (Conclusion, Paragraph 106)
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
10
Conclusion
3rd Report - The rights of older people
Not Addressed
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 facie case for the appointment of a UK cross-government minister …
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
11
Recommendation
3rd Report - The rights of older people
Accepted
We recommend the establishment of a unit of data and policy analysts within the Cabinet Office’s Office of Equality and Opportunity to build an evidence base on the key cross-departmental challenges, including intersectional issues, facing older people now and in the coming decades. This unit should be established with a …
Government response. The government rejects establishing a new unit of data and policy analysts, stating the Cabinet Office's Office of Equality and Opportunity already has analysts who undertake cross-government work on demographic change and ageing.
Government Equalities Office
13
Recommendation
3rd Report - The rights of older people
Deferred
We recommend the Government examine the experience in Wales, with a view to replicating a similar framework across England. It should conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Commissioner for Older People 50 role in Wales and its comprehensive network of Older People’s Champions delivering a national strategy across …
Government response. The government commits to considering the experience and effectiveness of the Commissioner for Older People in Wales, stating this will inform future thinking on potential action in England, but does not commit to establishing a framework by year-end.
Government Equalities Office