Select committee: Women and Equalities Committee
Conclusion 10
3rd Report - The rights of older people
Published 19 Feb 2025
Addressed to Government Equalities Office
Women and Equalities Committee The rights of older people All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
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 to take responsibility for developing and implementing policy and championing the rights of older people in these and wider areas, a more important first step is the development of a Government strategy for ageing and older people’s rights. Such a strategy could establish the case for, and guide, any new minister. (Conclusion, Paragraph 107)
From: Women and Equalities Committee, 3rd Report - The rights of older people (HC 414), 19 February 2025
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 16 May 2025 (deadline 19 April 2025).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government welcomes the report and says the Equality Act 2010 already provides "strong protections" for older people, agreeing on digital inclusion and social tariff awareness but giving no commitment to the recommended EHRC review or the proposed unit.
- On social tariffs, the government agrees "more needs to be done to increase awareness" and will work with partners, but has "currently no plans for a regulated social tariff"; it will "keep this under review".
- On a refreshed digital inclusion strategy, it points to the February 2025 Digital Inclusion Action Plan as its "first steps"; the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund will have further details announced "in due course".
- On the proposed EHRC review of age discrimination protections, it says it is "for the Equality and Human Rights Commission" to decide how to allocate its resources, and says it is "engaging with the EHRC" on how best to commence section 14 of the Equality Act on combined discrimination.
- On a Commissioner for Older People in England, it "will however consider" the Welsh experience and evaluation, which will inform thinking "in due course" on any further action.