Helen Mirren has shared that age discrimination “has to change”, after new research suggested a third of people over 65 have been subject to age discrimination.
The actress, 79, said discrimination is “disturbing and unfair” after Age UK released its report stating that millions have had negative experiences due to their age, ranging from being treated with less respect to being threatened.
The charity, for which Dame Helen is an ambassador, said its analysis found that a third of people aged 65 and over and almost a quarter of people aged 50 to 64 in England said they had been discriminated against because at his age.
Using population statistics and its analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, the charity suggested that around 6.1 million people aged 50 and over in England have faced age discrimination.
This can be on top of other forms of discrimination for some people, the charity said, finding that around one in six women aged 50 and over said they had faced sexism, and more than half of people from minority ethnic backgrounds in this age category had suffered it. racial or religious discrimination.
Helen Mirren, 79, has shared that age discrimination “has to change”, after new research suggested a third of people over 65 have been subject to age discrimination (pictured in January ).
The actress said discrimination is “disturbing and unfair” after Age UK published its report stating that millions have had negative experiences because of their age (Helen pictured in 1974).
Age UK stated that while “the population is aging rapidly, age discrimination remains widespread” and has called for changing attitudes, tackling poverty and inequality and ensuring that the health and social needs of older people are ” recognized and fully satisfied.
Dame Helen said: “Aging happens to us all, but as we get older, life can get harder.” Many will begin to be treated differently, which can not only be very disturbing but also unfair.’
“Everyone, regardless of their age, should feel included and valued, and that is what Age UK strives to achieve.”
He concluded by saying: “This is an ambitious but truly important challenge as things must change and it is in all of our interests to ensure that older people are respected and treated as the people they are.”
The charity said it is estimated that by 2040 more than 40% of people in the UK will be over 50 and more than five million will be aged 80 or over, prompting a call for society to adapt.” to make the most of the “asset that is our older population and address the challenges that older people face.”
The charity said the “gross inequalities” in the income of UK pensioners mean that only a minority live on a moderate or comfortable income (17%), while the majority survive on minimal income or live in poverty (82 %).
Age UK, which has heavily criticized the Government’s plan to restrict winter fuel payments only to those receiving pension credits, has previously said that 2.5 million pensioners across the UK who will lose their payment this year will have financial difficulties, as 1.6 million are in poverty and 900,000 have incomes just above the poverty line.
They also highlighted that 71% of disabled pensioners will lose their winter fuel payment, despite many having high energy costs due to health or disability problems.
“Everyone, regardless of their age, should feel included and valued, and that is what Age UK strives to achieve,” said Helen (pictured in 2023).
Paul Farmer, chief executive of the charity, said: “Society can play a huge role in the way we view aging and older people in our communities and consequently how we feel about our own ageing. when our turn comes.”
“By improving society’s views, we hope that future generations can reach old age better prepared for the challenges that aging can bring and with more opportunities to make the most of it.”
“Our ultimate goal must be for older people to be valued and included; we have to change the way we age.”
He added: “We also need to think more about aging as a country and how best to respond to it, and also within government, business and other sectors.”
“If we don’t, we will sleepwalk into a national crisis and we can no longer ignore the facts or the consequences of inaction.”
“Along with climate change and the technological revolution, aging is one of the great global trends that impacts us more and more.”
Caroline Abrahams, director of the charity Age UK, said: “The fact is that we will all benefit from a more balanced and informed view of aging and older people.”
“And our country will benefit too, given the ease with which we seem to ‘dismiss’ the enormous contributions that people in their fifties, sixties and older make, contributions that we cannot afford to do without.”