Home / Sources / Select Committees / Women and Equalities Committee / The rights of older people
Index live · Last sync 22 May 2026
Select Committee · Women and Equalities Committee

The rights of older people

Status: Closed Opened: 20 Sep 2023 Closed: 3 Sep 2025 8 recommendations 5 conclusions 1 report

This inquiry considers key issues faced by older people from their own perspectives and those of expert witnesses, including discrimination lawyers and advocacy organisations. It examines whether there is enough focus on the issues and effective policies to tackle them. It looks at how well older people’s rights are protected in equality law and whether …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
3rd Report - The rights of older people HC 414 19 Feb 2025 13 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
1 Recommendation 3rd Report - The rights of older people Not Addressed

Require Ofcom and ASA to introduce specific rules against ageist stereotyping in media.

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
5 Conclusion 3rd Report - The rights of older people Not Addressed

Government’s outdated Digital Inclusion Strategy fails to address older people’s digital exclusion.

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
9 Conclusion 3rd Report - The rights of older people Not Addressed

Government lacks a comprehensive strategy to address the challenges of an ageing population.

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

Developing a Government strategy for ageing and older people's rights is a crucial first step.

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

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
11 Dec 2024 Caroline Abrahams CBE · Age UK, Dr Carole Easton OBE · Centre for Better Ageing, Joanna Elson CBE · Independent Age, Rhian Bowen-Davies · Older People's Commissioner for Wales View ↗
17 Apr 2024 Alice Gould · Independent Press Standards Organisation, Kate Biggs · Ofcom, Malcolm Phillips · Committee of Advertising Practice View ↗
28 Feb 2024 Jonathan Boys · Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Natalie Hall · 55/Redefined, Nicola Smith · TUC, Professor Wendy Loretto · University of Edinburgh Business School View ↗
7 Feb 2024 Councillor Gillian Ford · Local Government Association, Declan O'Dempsey · Cloisters Chambers, Dr Alysia Blackham · Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne, Dr Emilene Zitkus · Loughborough University, Helen Dobson · Citizens Online, John Kirkpatrick · Equality and Human Rights Commission View ↗
10 Jan 2024 Carole Easton OBE · Centre for Ageing Better, Caroline Abrahams CBE · Age UK, Heléna Herklots CBE · Older People's Commissioner for Wales, Joanna Elson CBE · Independent Age View ↗

Correspondence

8 letters
DateDirectionTitle
26 Jun 2025 — Correspondence from Secretary, Editors Code of Practice, re The rights of older…
25 Mar 2025 — Correspondence from Chief Executive, Hacked Off, re, The rights of older people…
19 Mar 2025 — Correspondence from Charlotte Dewar, Chief Executive, IPSO, re the rights of ol…
19 Mar 2025 — Correspondence from Jo Poots, Project Sponsor and Head of Complaints and Invest…
24 May 2024 — Correspondence to the Minister for Women and Equalities, relating to the rights…
15 May 2024 — Correspondence from Minister of State (Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, C…
17 Apr 2024 — Correspondence to Lord Ahmad Minister of State (Middle East, N Africa, S Asia, …
28 Feb 2024 — Correspondence from the Advertising Standards Authority, relating to the rights…