Free resource
Your rights under the Equality Act
By Nancy Osazee, Founder
The Equality Act 2010 lists age as a protected characteristic. An employer must not treat you worse in recruitment because of your age.
This page is a map to the official guidance. It is not a view on your own case. Acas and a solicitor or the equality advisory service are the places for that.
Written by Nancy Osazee, Founder of CareerPilot. This is a practical note, not advice about your own visa, contract, or legal case. Read the official page linked on this sheet before you rely on a figure.
What Acas says about hiring
- Decisions about recruitment must not be influenced by the applicant's age.
- Interviewers must not ask different questions depending on age.
- Adverts should describe the job. Phrases such as 'recent graduate' or 'highly experienced' can discriminate unless the employer can justify them.
Justification exists, and it is narrow
Direct age discrimination can sometimes be objectively justified, for example where the law sets a minimum age for the work. That is the employer's case to prove. It is not a reason for you to accept a casual comment in an interview.
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On CareerPilot
Use the jobs list to read real adverts. The wording of the advert is what you can ask about.
Questions
Does this apply before I am hired?
Yes. Recruitment is covered. The advert, the application form, and the interview are all part of it.
Can a job ask for a qualification I took years ago?
They can ask for a qualification the work needs. They should not use the year you qualified as a stand-in for youth.
Where do I get advice on my own situation?
Acas has a helpline for workplace problems. This page cannot tell you whether a particular comment broke the law.
Sources
Last checked 10 October 2026.