John Colamatheo, a 57-year-old former construction worker from Wrexham, was mistakenly enrolled in a government training programme intended only for jobseekers aged 16 to 30, prompting an apology from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). He had been training for a role as a Universal Credit Agent but was told during his second week that the placement had been an error and the job offer was withdrawn.
According to a national broadcaster's report, the position was offered through the Movement to Work programme, a national charity dedicated to helping people aged 16 to 30 find employment. Colamatheo had been out of work for a year after an ankle injury left him unable to continue in construction.
Although his disability qualified him for Universal Credit, Colamatheo said he was determined to return to work rather than rely solely on benefits.
I needed it, not for the money, for my mental health.
I wanted that camaraderie, that feeling of being in a workplace, around people.
He believed his own experience of disability and of navigating the benefits system would make him well-suited to helping others in similar situations. After being told he would be offered a job once training was complete, he spent money on new clothing to prepare for the role.
I wanted to go to the training looking smart. I could ill-afford to spend the money but I reckoned I would cover it after I started getting paid.
The situation changed abruptly during his second week of training, when he was pulled aside and informed of the mistake.
I was told that the job was only open to people aged 30.
Why does Colamatheo believe the age restriction is unjustified?
He argues that the role in question was administrative rather than physical, making an age cap difficult to justify. He noted that nothing in the original job advertisement had indicated an age restriction.
We are not talking about manual labour here where age would be a factor. This is a desk job advising people. I can't see how that should be only available to a certain age range.
Colamatheo said the experience had taken a toll on his self-esteem, describing it as something that had
