"Ever since the Equality Act of 2010, various discriminations in employment have been illegal. They included those based on ethnicity, gender, faith and age. After the 2010 act, the state pension age was planned to rise to 67, meaning that more older people are staying in the workforce. Still just 12% of over-65s were at work in 2023, but the idea of Britons becoming useless at 60 was increasingly unreal."
"Old people are far healthier than they used to be, but they should have their eyes and ears regularly tested for driving. Those working in professions such as medicine and the law should be forced to keep up to date. Incompetent public officials should be retirable at any age. There are also legitimate and possibly necessary reasons for retiring staff, but they should be stated."
Prue Leith is stepping down at 86 after nine years to spend summers in her garden, and fans will wish her well. The Equality Act 2010 banned employment discrimination including age, and the planned rise in state pension age to 67 coincided with more older people remaining in work. Economically active over-65s rose from around 900,000 to 1.5 million in a decade, undermining the idea that people become useless at 60. A declining birth rate and labour shortages made experienced older workers an economic resource. Older people are healthier than before, but safety checks for drivers and updated professional competence are appropriate. Maturity, judgment and experience remain invaluable assets.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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