'Get over-50s back to work and off benefits'

URGENT action is needed to get over-50s back to work and off benefits related to illness, a major think tank says.

- David Williamson CHIEF POLITICAL COMMENTATOR

More than a quarter of this age group are out of work with the UK now facing a “midlife crisis”, the Centre for Social Justice claims.

Nearly two million people aged 50 to 64 were jobless benefits claimants last year up from 1.4 million just before the pandemic.

The share of people in this age group who are “economically inactive” due to long-term sickness surged by 21% from 2015 to last year.