Forum Brief: Age discrimination

A new survey suggests that over three quarters of over 55s in Britain feel that society undervalues their skills and experience.

The survey, commissioned by Pfizer, also found that over half - 54 per cent - also believed that older people were inaccurately portrayed by the media.

A spokeswoman for the DWP told ePolitix.com: "Older people have a wealth of talent, skills and experience which we can all learn from, regardless of our age. We have made a pledge to tackle age discrimination and we are committed to introducing age legislation covering employment, vocational training and guidance by 2006.

"We are encouraging employers to adopt flexible approaches to retirement for the business benefits if offers and the choice and opportunity it gives individuals to stay in work longer."

Forum Response: Pfizer

Miranda Kavanagh, director of corporate and public affairs at Pfizer UK, said: "It has become normal to talk about the challenges caused by the growth of ageing populations, but an exception to speak of the opportunities.

"These findings show that getting older means anything but slowing down or dropping out. With older populations expanding at a dramatic rate, we all need to redefine the experience of ageing to ensure that one of society's greatest resources is not being overlooked or misunderstood."

Forum Response: Age Concern

Stephanie Harland, head of European and International Affairs at Age Concern England, said: "Healthy ageing is not just about managing physical challenges, but about making sure an important section of the population continues to play a full and active part in our society.

"This new research provides a valuable snapshot of the concerns and opinions of older people in the UK, which we hope will help overturn stereotypes and highlight the needs of 'third agers' in the UK."