Number of unemployed over-50s shoots up amid ‘silver exodus’ from workplace

Despite rise in job vacancies, 3.6 million people aged 50-64 are now economically inactive, in trend seen since pandemic

The number of people aged 50-64 who are economically inactive in the UK has shot up to 3.6 million. It represents a rise of almost 10% since before the pandemic, providing powerful evidence of a post-Covid silver exodus" from the workplace.

Other findings released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) last week - and seized upon by Labour as a sign of government failure at a time of near-record vacancies and labour shortages - include data showing that 375,000 over-50s were claiming unemployment benefits last month.