Recruiters have a key role in helping the over-60s back to work and to encourage workers to invest in their pensions, says Minister for Pensions Reform Stephen Timms (pictured).

With a ban on age discrimination coming into force in October 2006, Timms has urged recruiters to ensure that recruitment exercises and advertisements for vacancies do not set unjust age limits.

Such limits, Timms told Recruiter in an exclusive interview, “can prevent employers getting the best person for the job. Many people aged 60 and over can offer a wealth of skills and experience which business cannot afford to ignore”.

Timms spearheads the Age Positive campaign, a Department for Work and Pensions initiative promoting the benefits of employing a mixed-age workforce.

He welcomed the efforts of the recruitment industry to tackle ageism. “Our Age Positive recruiter champions and previous award winners demonstrate the business benefits of focusing on what the individual has to offer, and not their age,” he said.

With a key Pensions Commission Report out this week, Timms believes that recruiters can also help inform candidates on their options.

He urged the industry to include clear information about pension schemes in job advertisements.

“Where employers do not have their own pension scheme or an associated stakeholder scheme to offer, job applicants should be made aware and be encouraged to seek financial advice about private pensions,” he said.