Strengthening Protection for all ages – legislative reform 

Section 75
We are reviewing equality schemes in the context of age (action plans and inequalities audits)

Age strategy inputs
Older people´s strategy
Younger people´s strategy

Consultation responses
EU Accessibility strategy

In Northern Ireland age protection against unlawful discrimination is limited to employment.  The Equality Commission are engaging with OFMdFM and the age sector about our recommendations for legislative reform.  This will increase protection for individuals in relation to goods, facilities, services, exercising public functions or by private clubs.

 

The changes we recommend will:

• help to address the inequalities facing people of different ages in Northern Ireland when accessing goods, facilities and services

• ensure that Northern Ireland age equality legisiation keeps pace with proposed changes in legislation due to take effect in Great Britain in October 2012.

• ensure parity with protection against unlawful discrimination when accessing goods and services which exists on other equality grounds.

• Further the overarching aims and objectives of the Executive’s Older Persons Strategy – Ageing in an Inclusive society

• Help ensure that Northern Ireland age equality legislation complies with the anticipated requirements of the draft European Commission Directive on the provision of goods and services.
  

The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 make it unlawful for employers and others to discriminate on grounds of age in the areas of employment and occupation.

In Great Britain age protection against discrimination in goods and services comes into force in October 2012. The Republic of Ireland has had anti-discrimination protection legislation covering goods, facilities and services for age (plus eight other grounds) since 2000 (Equal Status Act 2000).