Older people and employment
The Government is committed to improving the labour market position of older people.
The structure of our society is changing and life expectancy is increasing. By the early 2030s, people aged over 50 will comprise almost a third of the workforce and half the adult population. It makes economic and social sense to have measures that support and encourage people to remain in work and extend their working lives wherever possible. Working longer is good for the economy and the individual, helping to improve income in retirement as well as contributing to pensions sustainability.
Once out of work, older people can find it more difficult to get a job. Increasing the employment rate of people over 50 is crucial to ensure that people maximise their own income in retirement. Most will have years of experience and knowledge to offer both employers and co-workers.
Help to support older people in working longer
A number of measures are in place to support older people in choosing to work longer, including:
- financial incentives for working beyond State Pension age
- specialist back to work support for older people
- initiatives aimed at helping employers to support older worker employment and flexible working
- retirement practices and legislation that seek to protect people from age discrimination.
The Age Positive website gives employers guidance about employing older workers.
The Government is committed to phasing out the default retirement age of 65 years as soon as practicable in order to allow people the choice about when and how to retire.
The Government is introducing a new radical programme of welfare reform to break the culture of welfare dependency. A new single Work Programme will be introduced in the first half of 2011, which will offer people targeted, personalised help. It will offer everyone, including older people, access to a fully integrated and coherent system of back to work support.
There are specific measures in 2010–2011 for Jobseeker’s Allowance customers aged over 50, giving them voluntary access to earlier help. Jobcentre Plus has also introduced new training for advisers to help them understand more about the value of keeping older people in work and how they can offer appropriate help.
