The Regulations are available on the Stationery Office website (see External Links) and the Notes on the Regulations are available on these pages (see Related Documents).

Pension provisions in the Employment Equality (Age) (Amendment No.2) Regulations 2006 - SI 2006/2931 - came into force on 1 December 2006.

These amending regulations mean that a wider range of existing pension scheme rules can continue.They  provide clarification of the existing schedule of exemptions and further specific exemptions to address concerns that were highlighted during DWP’s short informal consultation that was held during October.

These amending regulations are available on The Stationery Office website (see External links).

Guidance

Acas has published good practice guidance on the regulations - "Age and the Workplace".  The on-line guide for employers and for individuals is available on the Acas website (see External Links).  Printed copies can be ordered from Acas.

Revised guidance - to replace the existing DTI guidance - on the pensions aspects of the Regulations will be available shortly.

Information about the new retirement procedures and the transitional arrangements is available (see Related Links).

Information about the legislation and vocational training is available (see Related Links).

For clarification of Regulation 33 see Related Documents.


The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 Questionnaire (see Related Documents)

When the Regulations come into force a person is entitled to write to his or her employer if he or she feels discriminated against. Although questionnaires and replies can be conducted by letter, the use of the questionnaire will help ensure relevant questions are asked. This questionnaire is for the person with the complaint to send questions to their employer. The matching reply form gives the employer an opportunity to say whether they agree with the complainant or not, they can set out the reasons why."

Scope of Regulations 

The Regulations apply to employment and vocational training.  They prohibit unjustified direct and indirect age discrimination, and all harassment and victimisation on grounds of age, of people of any age, young or old.

As well as applying to retirement they

• remove the upper age limit for unfair dismissal and redundancy rights, giving older workers the same rights to claim unfair dismissal or receive a redundancy payment  as younger workers, unless there is a genuine retirement;

• allow pay and non-pay benefits to continue which depend on length of service requirements of 5 years or less or which recognise and reward loyalty and experience and motivate staff;

• remove the age limits for Statutory Sick Pay, Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Adoption Pay and Statutory Paternity Pay, so that the legislation for all four statutory payments applies in exactly the same way to all;

• remove the lower and upper age limits in the statutory redundancy scheme, but leave the current age-banded system in place. Click on the External Links to see the Written Statement about this to Parliament on 2 March;

• provide exemptions for many age-based rules in occupational pension schemes (they are contained in Schedule 2 to the Regulations).

Regulatory Impact Assessment 

The final Regulatory Impact Assessment is also available.  It assesses the costs and benefits of the legislation. 

For information about "Age Positive" and the "Be Ready" campaigns (see External Links).