Older workers are the big winners as the UK enjoys record levels of employment.
The latest government job figures have revealed the number of people aged 50-plus in work has gone up by 214,000 over the past 12 months – almost half the total increase.
Chris Ball, chief executive of campaign group The Age and Employment Network (TAEN), said: “TAEN has spent the past 10 years campaigning for more and better job opportunities for people in mid and later working life, so we welcome today’s employment figures.”
He called on employers to allow a larger number of older staff to either stay in work longer, or return to the workforce after retirement.
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“The current economic situation where more and more older people are having to turn to credit to meet their everyday living expenses, and where fewer than four out of 10 people are contributing to an occupational pension, means that longer working and ‘returnment’ are two trends that are becoming well established,” Ball said.
“Government and employer policies need to catch up and support people who want and need to stay in or return to work.”
