Help the Aged: Equality should extend to older people

Help the Aged's policy director Paul Cann says the equality bill announced today should include a "complete ban" on age discrimination.

Prime minister Gordon Brown told MPs in the Commons "discrimination everywhere is unacceptable" but the charity remains concerned that, outside the work environment, age discrimination will still take place.

"If the prime minister is serious about creating a 'fairer' Britain, he must go back to basics and ensure people have equal rights," Mr Cann says.

"It almost goes without saying that this should include older people - the fastest growing population group."