Oldies but Goldies: Why the UK Must Back 50+ Workers Into Work
The government is being told to take a giant leap forward for older people who still want to earn a living. A coalition of expert bodies is sounding the alarm that without a proper push, the promised 80 % employment rate will be a pipe dream.
Goldilocks for the 50‑59 and 60‑66 Aged
- Target: 80 % employment for those aged 50‑59.
- Target: 50 % employment for those aged 60‑66.
- Timeframe: Reach those figures in the next ten years.
It’s not rocket science—if the state‑pension age climbs to 67 in a year, there are about 900 000 people between 50 and 66 who are either out of work or not actively looking but would love to get back in the game. Pulling just half of those back into a job would lift the overall employment rate enough to hit the 80 % mark.
The Numbers That Matter
A recent study by the Centre for Ageing Better shows
- Employment dips below the 80 % target as early as age 53.
- By age 64, the rate crashes to a flat 50 %—a full three years before retirement age kicks in.
- Currently, 1.1 million people in their 60s live below the poverty line.
- That’s a staggering 23 % of the cohort.
Compared with nations that have already hit an overall 80 % employment figure—think Iceland, Switzerland, the Netherlands—the UK’s 25‑54 age group keeps pace, but the 55‑64 group lags behind by a whopping 16 percentage points.
Why It Matters (And It’s Not Just About the Numbers)
According to Dr. Emily Andrews, deputy director at the Centre for Ageing Better, “A more ambitious policy will do more than just lift employment figures; it will help people in their 50s and 60s squeeze out the day-to-day monetary crunch and keep them pulling their weight in the economy.” She added that the 60‑64 bracket now sees the highest poverty rates for any adult group over 25, and that a pension-age rise could double that misery if the job market stays as standoffish.
Christopher Rocks of the Health Foundation echoed that sentiment: “When folks in their 50s and 60s leave work, it’s a double whammy—cash and health both take a hit. Flexible, secure, and well‑designed work can keep them on the payroll longer, making their golden years genuinely golden.”
Alice Martin from the Work Foundation at Lancaster University also weighed in: “The pension-age climb is at least a reminder that we’ll need all the hands we can get. If older workers are nudged into staff desks and firms bring better jobs, we can still keep the economy marching.”
The Bottom Line
The government’s roadmap is simple: grab the half of the 900 000 “just‑looking” older workers, strap them into decent work, and watch the overall employment rate climb. The goal is as ambitious as it is realistic, and the stakes are high—for the retirees, the mid‑lifers, and the entire workforce that needs a steady supply of experienced talent.
