Labour needs the over-50s to hit its target of raising the UK employment rate to 80% from its current 74.4%, according to an expert analysis. Success could boost the economy by £23bn. But has the new Government merely set itself a challenge, asks Dr Emily Andrews, the Centre for Ageing Better’s deputy director for work, “or have they doomed themselves to a mission that cannot succeed?”. Ministers have already announced strong proposals to boost employment among the very young. “Now we need to see their proposals and ambitions to drive up the employment rate at the older end of the labour market.” The network of 50 Plus Champions set up by the Conservatives was a great step, she says. It “unleashed a wave of enthusiastic experts who were tasked with doing more to drive up standards for jobseekers in their 50s and 60s.” These advances should not be thrown out with the bathwater. “We know that further devolution could help push these gains further.” We know that further devolution could help push these gains further.
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