Ministry of Justice figures show there were 3,668 age discrimination complaints lodged in Great Britain in 2020, up by 74 per cent from from 2,112 in 2019.

The increase took place despite a slight fall in the overall number of complaints from 183,207 to 180,430, with age discrimination seeing the biggest year-on-year increase.

Stuart Lewis, founder of Rest Less, which produced the analysis, said the Covid-19 pandemic had “exacerbated age discrimination in both the workplace and the recruitment process”.

He added: “These factors, combined with the need for many to keep working until they are 66 to access the safety net of the state pension, are leading to a increase in the number of employment tribunal cases based on age discrimination – and it’s likely to get worse.

“Age is a legally protected characteristic, just like gender, ethnicity, religion and disability but yet age discrimination is still widely seen as a socially acceptable form of prejudice.

“Age discrimination is unfair, unacceptable and has long-term damaging consequences on both the individuals involved and wider society. It needs to stop.”

Patrick Thomson, senior programme manager at the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “Employment tribunals are often the last course of action for people facing discrimination or unfair treatment in the workplace, and it is worrying to see so many older workers needing to pursue them.

“We know that age is often the last unspoken and accepted form of discrimination in the workplace. Our recent research with employers finds that while many said diversity and inclusion were important to them, few had strategies or approaches to make their workplaces age-inclusive.

“We know a third of people in their 50s and 60s feel their age disadvantages them in applying for jobs, higher than any other age group.”

Irish employment lawyer Richard Grogan said age discrimination cases “will undoubtedly equally soar in Ireland when the bar on redundancies goes and employers start calling back employees”.

He tweeted: “We have already seen it with older employees not been called back. Equally seeing pregnancy and maternity dismissal rising. WRC will be busy.”