The percentage of UK organisations which have adopted equal opportunity policies addressing age has increased by 11% since 2004/05, according to a recent survey by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR).

The resulting report, ’Employers’ policies, practices and preferences relating to age, 2010’, revealed that the percentage rose from 56% to 67%, reflecting a 20% increase, during the period. A first survey was taken from November 2004 to May 2005 to examine attitudes, policies and practices before the implementation of Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006. The 2010 version reflects responses to the survey taken between October 2009 and January 2010.

In the 2010 report, researchers Hilary Metcalf and Pamela Meadows found that a “very small” decline had occurred in the use of ageist criteria aimed at older people in recruitment since 2004/05, Metcalf told a seminar hosted by The Age and Employment Network (TAEN) in London. Metcalf also said that 15% of the employers surveyed reported having a maximum recruitment age, with 6% of employers wanting new recruits to work a minimum length of employment of three years.

However, the percentage of employers with a compulsory retirement age appeared to have dropped from 37% to 32% between the two surveys, although the responses were based on different questions, Metcalf said.

Of the 2,205 respondents, 43% reported having policies, practices and attitudes involving age - across the spectrum - in the 2010 survey.