UK : Older people are much more likely to be long-term unemployed

Since the mid-1990s there has been a rapid rise in the number of older people in work. In spring 2003 seven in ten people aged between 50 and State Pension Age, and almost one in ten people over State Pension Age, were working. Several organisations promote the place of older people in the workplace, including Age Concern, the Government’s Age Positive campaign, the Employers’ Forum on Age and the Third Age Employment Network. ; This factsheet is for older people in work or looking for work, as well as those who wish to continue working. It does not cover issues such as parental rights. New legislation in 2006 will address the issue of age discrimination in employment, and one of Age Concern’s key areas of policy work is in campaigning against age discrimination. ; The Statistical Report indicates changes and trends in the labour market activity of older workers. ; Key FACTS AND FIGURES on Older Workers AUTUMN 2004 Source: ONS Labour Force Survey (Autumn 2004 – Great Britain[1]) ; There are over 19 million people aged 50 and over in Great Britain. 8.79 million are aged between 50 and State Pension Age[2] (SPA) and account for 24.9% of people