WEC inquiry – Older People and Employment

The Women and Equalities Select Committee (WEC) launched an inquiry into older people and employment in March 2017. The inquiry considers Government policies to help people extend their working lives, and further steps to tackle issues such as age discrimination.

The deadline for submissions is 9 May 2017.

Chair Maria Miller MP said:

“The problems facing older people at work rarely make the headlines yet last year nearly 10 million people over 50 were in work. We know that many others in this age group who would like to be working are not in employment. Helping people over 50 to tackle age discrimination is good for the economy, for employers, and for individual employees.”

Call for Written Submissions

The Committee has called for written submissions on:

  1. Is the Fuller Working Lives strategy a comprehensive response to the issues identified in the Altmann Review?
  2. What progress has been made to date by the Government’s employer-led approach, and what are its strengths and limitations?
  3. What further steps should the Government consider in order to reduce barriers to later-life working?
  4. What further steps need to be taken to reduce age discrimination in recruitment, and what evidence is there that an employer-led approach will be effective?
  5. How successful are Government policies on re-training and re-entry likely to be in helping people stay in work or find new employment? Have relevant recommendations on reforming Jobcentre Plus and welfare-to-work services been implemented? Is there a place for employer incentives?
  6. How should Government and employers respond to and improve age diversity in the workforce? How could the Independent Review of Employment Practices in the Modern Economy most effectively contribute to improving the prospects of older workers?
  7. Is the Government’s approach addressing the different needs of women, carers, people with long-term health conditions and disabilities and BME groups among the older workforce?

Read the background to the inquiry, the terms of reference or submit evidence.

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