According to the Women and Equalities Committee, ageism is “widespread and culturally embedded in the UK.”
It found that this was due to a range of factors, “in part” driven by discriminatory language and imagery in the media.
The digital exclusion of older generations was cutting them off from being able to utilise healthcare, local services and banking, due to the Government not updating its strategy of digital inclusion since 2015.
One of the key concerns outlined in the damning report was the rapid rise in online and mobile banking and how this leaves many account holders from the boomer generation and older behind.
This was compounded with the number of bank branch closures of late and poor internet connections in coastal and rural areas of the UK, where many older people have moved to.
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The worst hit areas included Wales, Derbyshire, North Yorkshire, and West Sussex, while homes in urban areas were twice as likely to have the quickest gigabit broadband connection.
While many of the generations born between 1946 and 1964 were online, having human contact in a bank branch was of importance over using an app. Further, a reliance on using friends, family and others to help them with banking services online left them at far greater risk of financial abuse or even scams.
Another issue was access to cash for the older generation, which, despite the opening of banking hubs, was not fully addressed.
In January 2024, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) expected 50 banking hubs to have been established by Easter 2024, which was less than half the number recommended by LINK, the UK’s cash machine network.
The FCA then encouraged a speeding-up of the process and, in December 2024, 162 had been announced with 76 in operation, the report noted.
‘Banking hubs alone will not fix the issue’
Caroline Abrahams of Age UK said this was very welcome progress, but banking hubs alone would not fix the issue of digital exclusion for the older generation.
She added that “any service that is likely to be used by an older person needs to have an offline accessible alternative.”
Abrahams said: “In many cases, there is a good offline alternative, in theory, but it is not publicised.
“The people who are on the phone line, if you can ever find the number for your council, do not necessarily know about it, or they might be great, and they might be really good at directing you towards it, or they might just say, ‘Go and talk to your local Age UK, and they’ll help do it for you,’ but without either telling us or giving us any money to do it.”
She added: “No minister, no commissioner, no group of officials, no Government strategy.
“Given our rapidly ageing population, the absence of these things is self-defeating and remedying it would bring big gains and cost little.”
A Government spokesperson said: “The Equality Act contains strong protections for older people in a variety of settings, including work and the provision of services.
“We recognise the importance of older people and the challenges they face. That is why we are putting more money into pensioners’ pockets through our commitment to the triple lock – which is set to increase the state pension by up to £1,900 this Parliament.”
