Over-fifties at biggest risk in town hall culls

Workers over 50 are being "culled" from London's councils at a faster rate than their younger colleagues, according to research.

The data, compiled by the Wise Owls recruitment agency, reveals that the over-fifties are three times more likely to be fired. The firm claims that older workers are often viewed as more "expensive" than their younger colleagues and are often encouraged to take voluntary redundancy.

The findings were revealed under Freedom of Information requests to London's 32 boroughs and the City of London. According to their responses, the worst local authorities for redundancy rates were Westminster, Barking and Dagenham and Kensington and Chelsea. The councils with the poorest recruitment rate for the over-fifties were Redbridge, Lewisham and Richmond.

The over-fifties made up nearly 60 per cent of all redundancies within the councils. A spokesman for London Councils, which represents town halls, said some may have significantly more older workers, which can skew statistics.