Government wants to coax over 50s back into work

I suppose covid was a weird blessing for some - it brought on an enforced break from the treadmill and made us look around and re-style our priorities.

2 of my AC and partners are now 50+ and would probably love to retire or at least work p/t. But their DC are at the most expensive time - teenagers - so they cannot.

A change of career in later life might be a good thing if it was accessible.

I do know people who were in professional jobs who are now quite happy in their 50s and 60s to work as gardeners and cleaners which they find less stressful.

At my age 74 I will stick to volunteering though I still do some teaching very occasionally.

I retired at 60 because I could. OH retired at 63. Several of my teacher/headteacher friends and a friend who was in the police force, retired in their 50s. They all received their pensions. All of them do voluntary work and/or look after grandchildren while their parents can go to work and not pay extortionate sums for childcare. Even though I had long holidays and free meals, I’m not returning to work. Why should I? If the government can’t get their act together etc., etc.

I still teach part time at over 60, because I enjoy it but I wouldn’t want to be a head any more. A teacher friend in Australia taught till she was 75. Anyone fancy that?

Government wants to coax over 50s back into work

No chance.
Sorry😉

26 years too late in my case!

DH worked till he was 72 and loved it. We both volunteer a lot now and feel that it is good for you. And we look after DGC.

It seems odd to me to retire so early!

69 and still working part time in a care home… and really enjoy it…

Where is the data to support this? The only person in my circle of friends who retired in his fifties was a police officer. The rest of us went to sixty and beyond.

Where is the data to support this?

In the report I posted a link to at 14:35.

From the Daily Mail:

Surveys have found that people approaching retirement looked at the treatment of the older generation and thought they wanted to enjoy life before being 'packed off into a care home'.

Quite.

Some economists believe the number of middle-age people taking early retirement during the pandemic has helped fuel the nation's labour shortage which also has an impact on inflation, as firms are forced to offer higher wages to attract staff.

Are there going to be sufficient numbers of retirees who have evaluated their lives during and since the pandemic and who might have decided that a more simple life-style is preferable to joining the rate-race again, to make a significant inroad into the problem?
And as they are in demand, will they not also ask for higher wages?
Perhaps businesses must accept a smaller share of their revenues as profit?
You can only squeeze so many pips out of the consumer before he or she decides they can do without the product - or less of it.
If they pay higher wages - they might attract more staff from the younger population, and then they won't need the over 50s.

In my experience it is people working in the last few years chocolatelovinggran, post covid they made decisions to retire.

As I understand the data, however, although there us an increase in economically inactive 50 + , they are not the largest group. Is that correct? How statistically relevant, therefore, is this cohort?

I’m nearly 70 and still working part time. I work for myself and love it. It keeps me active and stimulated. I meet interesting people that I have dealt with for 40+ years. I am also able to be a bit flexible about my working hours.
If I didn’t work then I would be volunteering for something so would still be busy and committing my time.
I know lots of people that retired early and think I’m nuts but each to his own.
It does depend what the job is of course.
I do think that older people can bring their experience of life to anything they do.

LOUISA1523

Witzend

What they actually need to do, is to make childcare an awful lot cheaper. A lot of women with young children, who would like to go back to work, simply can’t, because the ruinous cost of childcare would be more than they can earn.

This is plain common sense, so obviously no government, especially a Tory one, will ever do it.

But many low paid can claim up to 85% of childcare free with UC

Some of them may have husbands so the total income income would take them over the threshold to receive help.

Oopsadaisy1

I’m over 70 - I would need to be collected and delivered home by Taxi and have a well paid part time sitting down job, preferably something to do with reading books, a long lunch break with decent food paid for by the Employer - Oh and very long holidays.

Then I might just be persuaded back to work.

Although I really don’t think I would bother.

You are not "inactive" Oopsadaisy1 as you are not in the working age bracket. If someone in your position returned to work it would not affect the inactive statistics.

LOUISA1523
Witzend
What they actually need to do, is to make childcare an awful lot cheaper. A lot of women with young children, who would like to go back to work, simply can’t, because the ruinous cost of childcare would be more than they can earn.

This is plain common sense, so obviously no government, especially a Tory one, will ever do it.
I so agree with this, but to be fair, when one set of DGC were in need of childcare, Labour were in power. It cost my DD so much for child care that they had to wait till one child started school before they dared have another.
Let’s hope KS has plans to remedy that before my DGC start their families.

Whitewavemark2

If I knew of 50+ year olds who were living the life of Riley after lockdown and no longer working, I would believe the government.

I know lots of 50+ year olds all busy working and wishing they could retire, but couldn’t possibly afford to do so for years to come.

So I think this is yet another lie, to hid the truth.

I have two extended family members who intend to retire this year and have planned for some time to do so. One is in their mid fifties and the other a couple of years older.

The idea this government is offering an "MOT" to discuss income in retirement (presumably to dissuade people from taking early retirement) will be of no use to them as they have planned this since they started work. Fifty year olds have had a very different view of pensions to those 20+ years older than them. This was mainly brought about by government propaganda so they really can't complain if people did what they were told.

This government could have taken the ageing population into account 12 years ago. They simply chose not to and will no doubt now blame others as they always do.

If you can't work because you are too ill to work (they are also part of the "inactive" statistic) I don't think you will get back any quicker under a government determined to destroy the NHS and deprive people for up to a year of the benefits that would help them live properly and, hopefully, get better.

We are both retired, left in our 50s. I am sorry but I won't be going back to work.

Is the government’s wish for inactive 50+ to return to work because they are claiming benefits in one form or another?
Or maybe because there is finally an acknowledgement of the ageism faced by those over 50s when they want to work?
Or even acknowledgement that experience has value?
I like my work, but I couldn’t have afforded to retire from it in my 50’s as some have done without having to find a different source of income.

I live in Canada, but even here, we had people quit during the pandemic. The college where I teach offered all employees 55+ early retirement when the pandemic hit. A few of my colleagues accepted that offer.

This is just another Tory scheme to avoid the truth: that immigrants are essential to our economy.

agnurse

I live in Canada, but even here, we had people quit during the pandemic. The college where I teach offered all employees 55+ early retirement when the pandemic hit. A few of my colleagues accepted that offer.

Seems like some companies have shot themselves in the foot - they wanted to get rid of the over 50s during the pandemic because they were surplus to requirement, but now business has picked up and they can't attract the younger workers they thought might come flocking - they want the over 50s back again...

Tough. Some of those retired have now made other arrangements. Even in a 'flexible' labour market, you can't just fire and hire at will.

Grantanow

This is just another Tory scheme to avoid the truth: that immigrants are essential to our economy.

... yes, and it will probably backfire because there will not be sufficient numbers to fill the gap!

Merry Christmas!

I am still working at 62 but badly need a hip op. I might have to retire early due to constant pain. If the NHS was working I wouldn’t have to wait 2-3 years. And no way do I want the gov doing a review of my income, savings etc. none of their business. Additionally people drawing their pension and going back to work get taxed and charged NI. It doesn’t seem worth it. Will they force us back?!