Age Discrimination at work: Understand the law and take action
Age discrimination is against the law.
At Valla, we help you understand your rights under the Equality Act 2010 and give you the tools to raise a grievance or take legal action, without needing to hire a solicitor.
Challenge age discrimination with confidence
- Free account to access document templates and legal tools
- Legal case review (Merits Assessment) for £149
- ET1 Tribunal support from £96
- Grievance letter and case-building templates included with paid accounts
Ask a UK legal expert about age discrimination
Find out where you stand with the age discrimination issues you're dealing with at work. Talk to a UK legal expert to understand if your issue has potential legal claims, so you can make a plan to resolve it.
What is Age Discrimination and Why It Matters
What is age discrimination?
Age discrimination happens when you are treated unfairly at work because of your age. This can affect younger workers, older workers, or anyone being judged based on age rather than skills or performance.
Under the Equality Act 2010, age is a protected characteristic. That means you are legally protected from unfair treatment, harassment, and victimisation related to your age.
There are four main types of age discrimination:
Direct age discrimination
Direct age discrimination happens when you are treated worse than someone of a different age in the same situation. For example, you might be told you are “too old” for a promotion or “too young” to manage a team. Unless your employer can prove there is a valid legal reason, this type of treatment is unlawful.
Indirect age discrimination
This happens when a workplace rule, policy, or practice disadvantages people of a particular age group. For example, requiring all employees to have a recent university degree could unfairly disadvantage older workers. Indirect discrimination can sometimes be justified by the employer, but they must show it is proportionate and necessary.
Age harassment
This is when someone makes unwanted comments or behaves in a way that is related to yours or someone else's age and creates a hostile, intimidating, or offensive environment. This could include jokes about being too old to learn new technology, or being excluded from projects because of your age.
Age victimisation
Age discrimination can limit your career, affect your wellbeing, and create long-term damage to your working life. But it is unlawful, and you have the right to speak up. Valla helps you take action with clear, legally informed tools, no legal background required.
Why it matters
Failing to pay wages is a breach of your contract and can also count as an unlawful deduction from wages under the Employment Rights Act 1996. You have a legal right to challenge this and recover the money you are owed.
Whether you are still employed or have already left the job, it is important to act quickly. There are strict time limits to bring a claim, and early action gives you the best chance of recovering your wages.
Take action against age discrimination in 5 Steps
You do not need to accept unfair treatment at work because of your age. Valla helps you take practical, legal steps to challenge discrimination.
Step 1: Record what is missing
Use Valla’s timeline tool to track incidents of unfair treatment, comments, exclusion, or policies that may be discriminatory.
Step 2: Gather evidence
Save emails, messages, meeting notes, and any documents that support your experience. These will help build a strong case.
Step 3: Raise a grievance
Use our grievance template to write a professional letter that sets out your concerns and gives your employer a chance to respond.
Step 4: Try ACAS Early Conciliation
Before starting a legal claim, you will need to contact ACAS. They can help resolve the issue without going to Tribunal, and will provide you with a certificate if the matter cannot be resolved.
Step 5: Submit a Tribunal claim
If the issue is not resolved, Valla helps you submit an Employment Tribunal claim, including support with completing the ET1 form and writing your Particulars of Claim.
Valla gives you a clear way to take action. We help you document what has happened, raise a formal grievance, and if needed, start a Tribunal claim to get your money back.
Why use Valla for age discrimination claims
Valla gives you the confidence to challenge age discrimination at work, without needing to hire a solicitor.
Valla is designed to help people who cannot afford a lawyer but still deserve fair treatment. We guide you through the process and give your claim the best chance of success.
What you get with Valla:
What people say about Valla
"I was told I was too old to learn new systems. Valla helped me stand up for myself."
- Margaret, Gloucestershire
Frequently Asked Questions about age discrimination
What is direct age discrimination?
Direct age discrimination happens when you are treated less favourably than someone of a different age because of your age. For example, being told you are too old to apply for a promotion or too young to manage a team.
What is indirect age discrimination?
Indirect age discrimination is when a workplace policy or rule applies to everyone but disadvantages people of a particular age group. For example, requiring all new hires to have recently completed a degree could disadvantage older applicants.
Can jokes or ‘banter’ count as age discrimination?
Yes. If the comments are unwanted and make you feel humiliated or excluded, this can count as age harassment under the Equality Act 2010.
What is age harassment at work?
Age harassment is when someone behaves in a way that relates to age and creates a hostile, intimidating, or degrading environment. This includes repeated jokes, comments, or exclusion from activities.
What is victimisation in an age discrimination case?
Victimisation means being treated badly because you complained about age discrimination or supported someone else’s complaint. It is also protected under UK law.
How do I prove age discrimination?
Keep a record of what happened, when, and who was involved. Save any emails, policies, or notes that show how you were treated differently.
Can I raise a grievance about age discrimination?
Yes. This is often the first step and gives your employer a chance to respond before formal legal action.
How long do I have to bring a claim?
You usually have three months less one day from the date of the last discriminatory act to begin ACAS Early Conciliation, which is required before going to Tribunal. You then have at least another month after you get your ACAS Early Conciliation certificate to submit your ET1.
Do I need a solicitor to bring an age discrimination claim?
No. Valla provides tools, templates, and legal coaching so you can manage the process yourself at a lower cost.
Stand up to age discrimination with Valla
You have the legal right to work without being judged or excluded because of your age. Whether you are facing discrimination, harassment, or victimisation, Valla gives you the tools to respond with confidence.
Start building your case today, no legal background required.