Homepage > Citizenship > Equal Opportunities > Age discrimination
What does age discrimination mean?
The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 makes it illegal for employers to discriminate against someone because of their age. This includes:
- Employees
- Trainees
- Job seekers
Based solely on your age you should not be treated less favourably:
- with a job application
- with promotion opportunities
- or refused training opportunities available to others
Treating staff fairly and recognising individuals' talents and needs is not just the right thing to do, but makes good business sense as well.
How does this affect young people?
It is against the law for an employer to impose a lower age limit when recruiting; however there are lots of child employment laws and restrictions that can affect your suitability for a job. This could include:
- still being in full-time education
- legally being too young to operate relevant machinery or use certain equipment
You can read more about these laws in our article on child employment.
There’s a lot of information available and if you feel you have been disadvantaged because of your age, speak with your Connexions Personal Adviser who will support you in finding an organisation that can help you
- The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) – 08457 47 47 47 Mon – Fri 8am-6pm (Free, confidential and impartial advice on all employment rights issues.)
Useful websites
ACAS
Information for individuals and employers on the age discrimination legislation
Directgov - Age discrimination
Information about the age discrimination laws
Children's Right's Alliance for England (CRAE)
Protects the rights of children and young people
ACAS
Information for individuals and employers on the new age discrimination legislation
Age Positive
Promotes the benefits of employing a mixed-age workforce that includes older and younger people
Dept of Trade and Industry
Further details on the regulations
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