The UK government must urgently ramp up efforts to improve employment prospects for older workers if it is to meet its target of an 80% overall employment rate, the 50+ Employment Taskforce has warned.
The call comes in response to new labour market figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which reveal a widening employment gap between younger and older age groups. According to the data, 71.6% of people aged 50–64 are currently employed, compared to 85.7% of those aged 35–49 — a gap that has grown to 14.1 percentage points since the pandemic, up from 13.1 before 2020.
The Taskforce — a coalition of influential organisations including the Centre for Ageing Better, the Learning and Work Institute, Age UK, and the Health Foundation — is urging the government to set ambitious, age-specific employment targets: 80% for 50–59-year-olds and 55% for 60–66-year-olds by 2035.
With the state pension age set to rise to 67 next year, nearly one million older people who are currently unemployed or economically inactive could be left behind, the Taskforce warned. They argue that reintegrating just half of these individuals into the workforce could be pivotal in meeting national employment goals.
Dr Emily Andrews, Deputy Director for Work at the Centre for Ageing Better, said the financial pressures facing older workers are mounting. “Poverty among 60–64-year-olds is the highest of any adult group over 25. The last time the pension age rose, poverty in this group doubled,” she said.
The UK is also falling behind international peers in older worker participation. While it performs comparably to nations like Switzerland and the Netherlands in the 25–54 age bracket, it lags 16 percentage points behind Iceland for workers aged 55–64.
Experts emphasise that enabling older people to stay in the workforce is critical not only for the economy, but also for public health and personal wellbeing. Christopher Rocks, lead economist at the Health Foundation, stated: “Good work supports later-life health. If the government wants to raise the pension age sustainably, jobs must be flexible and secure.”
Alice Martin of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University stressed the need for structural reform: “Without change, millions could be excluded from work just when they’re needed most.”
Patrick Thompson of Phoenix Insights added that many are not financially prepared for retirement: “Allowing older workers to stay employed longer is key to both their financial future and current wellbeing.”
The Taskforce is calling for coordinated national and local action, alongside support from employers and civil society, to develop policies that keep older workers in meaningful employment. Stephen Evans, Chief Executive of the Learning and Work Institute, said: “We need integrated work, health, and skills services—and employers must rethink job design to support an experienced and skilled workforce.”
Caroline Abrahams of Age UK concluded that ageism, health challenges, and caring responsibilities are major barriers: “With the right support, we can unlock a valuable and underused talent pool
