Upper age limit for jurors is set to rise to 75

The upper age limit for jurors is set to rise to 75 from next year to reflect how “active” older people are and to ensure the changing face of Britain is included in the justice system. The limit, which has been set at 70 since 1988, will be changed next year as part of plans announced by the Ministry of Justice.

The proposal comes in a drive by the Ministry to make the criminal justice system more inclusive and to accurately reflect modern society.

Damian Green, Justice Minister, said:

“It is absolutely right that older people play their part in making justice happen. The current limit doesn’t reflect how active older people are – the proportion of employed 64-69 year olds has doubled since 1992. I look forward to seeing jurors aged up to 75 in our courts shortly, as this will make the justice system more flexible and efficient.”

Each year about 178,000 people in England and Wales undertake jury service a number which is expected to rise by two million, with up to 6,000 over-70s expected to be called up every year. With the number of people aged 65 plus projected to grow by nearly 50 per cent in the next 20 years – to over 16 million – the move has been greeted well.

Jane Ashcroft, Chief Executive of older people's charity Anchor, agreed with the measure and dubbed the views of older people “invaluable”

She said: "I welcome this move by the MOJ to increase the upper age limit for jurors. Older people have already contributed a great deal to society and their experiences and views are invaluable, which is why at Anchor more than 300 of our workforce is aged over the traditional retirement age. I'm pleased that more older people will now be able to share their wisdom and participate in the criminal justice system."

Michelle Mitchell of Age UK said: “Judging someone on the basis of their date of birth alone risks overlooking a person’s unique skills and knowledge. While it's true that increasing longevity brings its challenges, there is also extraordinary human capital within our older population – older people are working, volunteering and contributing a huge amount to communities and the wider marketplace. We welcome all ways of including older people into the different aspects of society including eligibility to sit on a jury."

The maximum age limit for jurors was set at 65 by the 1974 Juries Act, this was then increased to 69 by the 1998 Criminal Justice Act - meaning anyone can be called until their 70th birthday. Every year, about 178,000 people serve on juries in England and Wales having been selected at random from the electoral register. The service usually lasts two weeks but can take much longer for complex or lengthy criminal trials. Anyone who fails to turn up can be fined up to £1,000.

The move, which requires primary legislation, is expected to come into force next year.