Workers will be able to work over the age of 65 from October 1st safe in the knowledge they will be immune to bosses firing them because they think they are too old.
The legal right to be able to sack staff under the Default Retirement Age provision is to be abolished, backing up the fact that age discrimination was made illegal five years ago.
Liz Field, CEO of the Financial Skills Partnership (FSP) said companies should learn to be more flexible and harness the skills and experience the older generation have to offer.
Over 50s are now facing a higher proportion of unemployment than any other age group with 100,000 having been out of work for two years – nearly twice the number for the same period in 2009, according to Age UK.
Michelle Mitchell, director of Age UK, said: “The end of the Default Retirement Age is a victory for older workers who for too long have been consigned to the scrapheap for no reason other than prejudice.”
