Commentary on Sections Schedule 9: Work: exceptions Effect
812.As a result of this paragraph it is not unlawful discrimination for an employer to decide not to offer employment to a person where, at the time of the person’s application to the employer, he or she is over the employer’s normal retirement age or he or she is over the age of 65 if the employer has no normal retirement age.
813.It is also not unlawful to refuse to offer employment where the applicant will reach the employer’s normal retirement age or the age of 65 (if the employer has no normal retirement age) within six months of the application for employment.
814.For these purposes, the employer’s normal retirement age must be 65 or over and has the same meaning as is given in section 98ZH of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (as inserted by Schedule 8 to the 2006 Regulations).
815.The employees to which paragraph 9 applies are the same group of employees to which paragraph 8 (exception for retirement) applies: that is to say, employees within the meaning of section 230(1) of the Employment Rights Act 1996, Crown employees, House of Lords staff and House of Commons staff.