Changes to age exemption regulations - update

Age exemption to be withdrawn.

Further to the article below, the Council met on 22 May 2008 to consider what action to take given that the exemption from payment of the Annual Retention Fee (ARF) on the basis of reaching age 65 contravenes the law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of age.

Under the Regulations made in 2006, it is unlawful for a qualifications body to discriminate on grounds of age in the terms on which it confers, renews or extends a qualification which is either required for, or facilitates engagement in, a particular trade or profession. The Regulations specify that, for these purposes, qualification includes registration.

The Council agreed, therefore, that exemption from the ARF on the grounds of age must be ended in order to comply with the law. The Council also agreed that no new exemptions from the ARF on the grounds of age should be granted after 30 June 2008 and that those who are currently exempt from the ARF on the grounds of age will be liable to pay the ARF after 31 October 2008 if they wish to remain on the register.

We have written to doctors who are currently exempt or about to become so. In doing so we have advised them of this decision and that we will write to them again in August 2008, when we will ask them whether they wish either to make arrangements to pay the ARF or to relinquish their registration. In the meantime they are not required to take any action until they receive our next letter.

Further updates will also be placed on this page of the GMC website.