This review looks at the evidence around active labour market policies aimed at tackling the challenges of worklessness amongst those aged 50 and over.
Recent employment rates for the 50-64 age group have hit a record high. However, in general, people aged 50 and above continue to face greater difficulty in accessing work-related training and re-entering employment than younger age groups. While some are not working out of choice, around 1 million people aged between 50 and state pension age are not working but would like to be.
Supporting people to be in good quality work for as long they want to is critical for their financial security now and into the future, and is a vital opportunity to help them manage their health and improve their wellbeing. Being unemployed can also have negative impacts on people’s health and wellbeing.
This review looks at the evidence around active labour market policies aimed at tackling the challenges of worklessness amongst those aged 50 and over. The findings show that much of the existing research is narrow and lacks high-quality data and analysis.
The Centre for Ageing Better is committed to building on the recommendations for greater employability support for over 50s. Based on report findings, the Centre for Ageing Better in partnership with DWP and GMCA, are seeking to pilot or trial new ways of working, implementing best practice to improve employment support for over 50s.
