Council staff banned from calling people 'old'... because it might offend old people

A Hampshire council has ordered staff to stop using the word "old" because it might offend old people.

New Forest District Council has issued guidance specifically targeting "ageist" language.

Staff have been told to avoid terms including "the elderly," "old," "young," and "millennials" - or anyone born between 1981 and 1996.

The language guide, revealed by The Sun, says: "It's usually unnecessary to refer to people using age-related descriptors.

"Think about it first."

The council suggests "older people" and "younger people" might be acceptable alternatives.

The guide, distributed to NFDC's website staff, warns that non-inclusive language could "alienate the people you're creating content for."

Officials have also demanded workers steer clear of medical "labels" and "gendered language" when talking about people.

"Avoid medical labels," the guidance warns. "They say little about people as individuals and tend to reinforce stereotypes of disabled people as 'patients' or unwell."

Other phrases now considered unsuitable include "mentally ill," "sick person," "fireman/woman," and "ladies."

"Use neutral, non-gendered terms for professions. Avoid patronising language," it adds.

Council forms should not tell locals to specify their gender as a mandatory field, the new rules say - allegedly to prevent distress among non-binary New Forest residents.

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Free Speech Union director Lord Young said: "As usual, a local authority thinks it's protecting the vulnerable by banning hurty words.

"If the New Forest district councillors really want to help local pensioners they should lay on more buses.

"But, of course, that's expensive, while banning the word 'old' costs nothing."

The FSU has previously criticised similar language policies implemented by councils and public bodies across Britain.

A guide from the Planning Inspectorate last year warned how the term "Ladies and Gentlemen" is offensive and should be avoided.

"Given that trans and non-binary people make up less than 0.4 per cent of the population, it seems a tad over-sensitive to ban saying something that might offend a few of them," Lord Young said at the time.

"I dare say there are some people out there who identify as Napoleon. Is the Planning Inspectorate going to worry about offending them too?"

A London council had earlier sparked uproar after ordering staff not to use the term "Christian name".

Sutton Council's language guide warned how the phrase might be offensive.

Again, Lord Young weighed in - blasting how he had "never met a Jew, a ­Muslim or an atheist offended by the words 'Christian name'".

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