Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department has taken to support people over the age of 50 to re-enter the employment market.

There does not appear to be one single cause driving older worker inactivity, and an ONS survey of recently inactive people aged over-50 highlighted retirement, redundancy, changes in lifestyle, caring responsibilities, and illness as some of the most common reasons.

The Government has already announced a £1.3 billion support package to help those with health conditions or disabilities get into and thrive in work. This is alongside DWP’s 50PLUS: Choices offer, which provides support to help older workers remain in, or return to, work.

To understand what further action should be taken as a result of the rise in economic inactivity, the Department for Work and Pensions is thoroughly reviewing workforce participation. The Government will respond in due course.