Older workers statistical information booklet
This report presents key data on older workers� employment, labour market participation and developments.

This report presents key data on older workers� employment, labour market participation and developments. It is based on Labour Force Survey data for United Kingdom (Quarter 2, 2010).
Key findings
»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýappre are 21.0 million people aged 50 and over in the United Kingdom. Of these 11.2 million are aged between 50 and 64, accounting for 28.0% of people age 16-64.
64.5% of those aged 50-64 are in employment. This is lower than the employment rate for people aged 25 to 49 (80.0%) but higher than for those age 16-24 (50.9%).
Over the last two years, workers aged 50-64 have been negatively affected by the recession. »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýappre has been a 1.1 percentage point drop in the employment rate and a 1.9 percentage point rise in the ILO unemployment rate.
ILO unemployment is lower amongst those aged 50-64 (4.9%) compared to those younger than 50 (8.9%).
People aged 50-64 are more likely to be long-term unemployed. 44.0% of those unemployed aged 50-64 have been unemployed for longer than one year, compared with 30.6% of those under 50
Older workers are more likely to work part-time than their younger counter parts. 28.1% of those in work aged 50-64 compared with 21.9% for 25-49 year olds.
People aged 50-64 have spent on average 13.7 years in their current employment, compared with those below 50 with an average of 6.3 years.
»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp 50-64 group have a high number of people with no qualifications. 17.7% of those aged 50-64 report themselves as having no qualifications, compared with 8.6% of those under 50.
Inactivity rates of those age 50-64 are higher then that of those below 50. 32.2% of the 50-64 age group are inactive compared to 20.4% of those below 50.
Of those claiming Incapacity Benefit (IB) or Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA) 48.5% are aged 50 or over.
Note to Editors:
- »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp Older Workers statistical information booklet is published by DWP in fulfilment of a Government’s commitment to publish information on employment statistics on older people. A copy of the report can be downloaded from the Department’s research website at: