Health conditions should not be a barrier for older workers

Prior to the pandemic, older workers made a significant contribution to employment growth in this country, but that picture has changed. Today, more than half (53 per cent) of those classified as economically inactive because of long-term illness or disability, are aged between 50 and 65. 

Photograph: Centre for Ageing Better Library

On top of that, four in 10 (42 per cent) of the 1.2 million people with a long-standing health condition, who would like to work but are not, are aged 50 and over. This figure needs to change if the Government is to achieve its stated ambition of an 80 per cent employment rate.

Quite literally, we cannot afford to ignore people over 50, irrespective of long-term health conditions that they may have. The state pension age is set to rise to 67 by the end of this parliament. It is economically unacceptable to passively accept the status quo of people in their 50s and 60s being excluded from the labour market because of long-term health conditions. 

However, by increasing the employment rate for people aged 50–64 to 75 per cent by 2030, an extra £9 billion would be added to the economy. This would support the Government’s much vaunted growth agenda.

The target of 75 per cent is not unachievable or idealistic – it would require introducing about 125,000 more workers aged 50–65 to re-enter the labour market. That is around one in four people who are currently out of work with a long-standing health condition who would like to work.  

Significant barriers to employment

The older a person is, the more likely they are to encounter significant barriers to realise their potential and make a significant contribution to the economy.  

Our research has shown that less than three in five (57 per cent) of people aged 50–65 who have a long-standing health condition are in work. This compares to almost three in four (73 per cent) of those aged 35–49. Therefore, people over 50 are 60 per cent more likely to be out of work if they have a long-term health condition.  

But it does not have to be like this. Compared to Germany, the UK has a 50 per cent higher rate of economic inactivity of people aged 50–64 who wish to work but cannot because of illness. We also compare poorly with France and Italy.

Dr Emily Andrews is deputy director for work at Centre for Ageing Better. Photograph: Centre for Ageing Better Library

Older workers, and particularly those with long-term health conditions, are often stigmatised by erroneous negative assumptions about their ability and willingness to work.

The longer we live, the more likely we are to acquire a long-term health condition, but this does not mean that we are automatically incapable of work. Many older people with long-term health conditions are capable and keen to work, either full-time or with reasonable flexibility and adjustments.

After the age of 55, employment rates drop significantly, with more than half of people stopping work before they reach state pension age. This is a waste of a valuable resource because evidence points to the fact that multigenerational workforces actually boost productivity and innovation. 

However, if older workers have the right support to manage their health conditions, their working lives can be extended, benefitting individuals, employers and the economy.

Employers who embrace flexible working practices and facilitate adaptations in the working environment can reap the rewards of recruiting from a broader talent pool and a more diverse workforce. Staff should feel encouraged to speak up about the support they need. But our research has revealed that many older workers wait until a crisis point before they raise problems and concerns.  

Age-friendly Employer Pledge

To help support employers who are committed to improving work for people in their 50s and 60s, the Centre for Ageing Better created the Age-friendly Employer Pledge. The pledge’s framework identifies five key areas where employers can make changes to create multi-generational workforces, which include creating an age-friendly culture – such as analysing an age-breakdown of the workforce.

But employers cannot bring about change on their own and responsibility to take action also falls upon the Government.  

We know that the current age-neutral approach doesn’t work, and an age-targeted method that requires in-work interventions is needed that specifically supports people aged 50 and over who are reluctant to disclose emerging health problems.  

We think Government can drive the agenda by adopting an approach that is age positive, age curious and age targeted.

Photograph: Centre for Ageing Better Library

In embracing the opportunities and unlocking the potential of older workers with long-term health conditions, both employers and Government have the potential to make a tangible and sustainable difference to older workers’ lives, their own success, and the wider economy.

Currently, there are too many people who have talent, knowledge, skills and a willingness to work who are permanently excluded from the labour market. That needs to change but, fortunately, the solutions are within reach. 

Five steps employers can take to support older workers with health conditions

1. Support your line managers. Provide training and support to all staff and line managers so they feel confident having early and sustained conversations about health in the workplace. There are tools and frameworks that can help – such as workplace adjustment passports or wellness action plans. 
2. Normalise the conversation. Make it clear to staff that managing health conditions is a part of life, and that health support is part of the culture. Anyone can experience a health need at any age, so ensure everyone feels confident and supported to speak up and ask for help without fear of stigmatisation. Communicate this message clearly from the top down and share examples where you can. 
3. Ensure you have clear and visible policies and processes for supporting workers with health conditions or disabilities and ensure these are regularly shared and discussed. 
4. Provide staff training on menopause. Support workers of all ages and genders knowing more about the symptoms and experiences of menopause, normalising open and honest discussion.
5. Use national awareness days as a way to shine a spotlight on specific illnesses or conditions. For example, Mental Health Awareness Week in May or World Menopause Day in October.

Being age-positive, age-curious, and age-targeted – steps the Government can take to support older workers with health conditions 

Age-positive: the Government should raise its ambitions for employment of people aged 50 and over and for the performance of health and work programmes (and the new work and careers service overall). The aim should be for people in their 50s and 60s to achieve similar outcomes to people in their 40s. 

The Government should:

1. Commit to an employment rate target of 75 per cent for people aged 50–64 by 2030.
2. Set clear and ambitious performance targets for cohorts of people aged 50–59, and 60–65, for all Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)-funded employment support and health and work interventions.

Age-curious: the state of the evidence on what works to support people aged 50 and over with health conditions to remain in or return to work is weak. The DWP has not exploited all the opportunities it has to learn from what it is already doing.

The Government should: 

1. Publish performance data for all health and work interventions broken down by age. 
2. Include a specific focus on people aged 50–59 and 60–65 in all evaluations of health and work interventions.
3. Encourage innovation in the sector – supporting providers to try new interventions for older participants to achieve the ambitious performance targets.

Age-targeted: an age-neutral approach is not working. We need in-work interventions that specifically support people aged 50 and over who are reluctant to disclose emerging health problems, and age-targeted employment support interventions designed to overcome both external and internalised ageism. 

The Government should: 

1. Restart and expand the Midlife MOT pilot programme, making the most of this early opportunity to make adjustments that could keep people in work. 
2. Expand and improve the 50 Plus Champions scheme within Jobcentre Plus, and support collaboration between 50 Plus Champions and Disability Champions – both of which should be supported to bolster employer engagement within Jobcentre Plus and support local employers to implement reasonable adjustments, create accessible jobs, and develop inclusive recruitment practices.  
3. Pilot targeted, specialist interventions to support people in their 50s and 60s with health conditions to return to the workforce.

Dr Emily Andrews is deputy director for work at Centre for Ageing Better.

For more information see:

ageing-better.org.uk

ageing-better.org.uk/age-friendly-employer-pledge

linkedin.com/company/ageing-better/

@Ageing_Better