Labour under fire for 'overlooking' older workers as young Britons receive TEN TIMES more jobs support

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More than one in five people aged between 50 and state pension age are neither working, studying nor retired

Labour has been urged to stop overlooking older workers as new analysis suggests young people are receiving 10 times more employment support despite a growing jobs "crisis" among over-50s.

Almost one million people aged between 50 and state pension age are unsuccessfully looking for work, according to the Centre for Ageing Better.

The figure is said to have reached a six-year high amid concerns that older Britons are being left behind in a weakening labour market.

More than one in five people in the age group are now neither in education, employment, training nor retirement, the charity said.

It comes as ministers face intense pressure to tackle the separate problem of young people not in education, employment or training (Neet).

More than one million young people are currently classed as Neet, prompting calls for urgent Government action.

But the Centre for Ageing Better warned that the scale of the employment challenge facing people over 50 was comparable and claimed older jobseekers were receiving little Government attention.

The charity said being outside education, employment or training was actually more common among those aged between 50 and state pension age than among 16 to 24-year-olds.

Despite this, it claimed the younger age group has received 10 times as much funding support.

Dr Andrea Barry, from the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “The current scale of the NEET population certainly warrants an urgent and well-resourced response from the government and it is vitally important for the national economy that the right remedies are put in place.”

But Dr Barry warned ministers should treat the employment “crisis” among older people with the same urgency.

“We need the challenge of getting more of this age group back into work pushed much further up the government’s current list of priorities. ”

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The charity argued that older and younger workers face many of the same obstacles when attempting to enter or return to the workplace.

Dr Barry said both groups needed support tailored to the particular barriers they face.

She added: “They are both an underused pool of talent whose employment rates wallow at levels well below other age groups.

“They are both groups whose capabilities are questioned or underestimated based on unfounded assumptions about their age, and they are two groups who potentially face the most amount of uncertainty and threat in the workplace from the rise of AI.”

The charity is calling for tailored employment support to help more over-50s overcome barriers to returning to work.

The warning comes as the Government pushes ahead with its Get Britain Working reforms, which ministers say will overhaul Jobcentres and provide more personalised employment and skills support.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: “Our Get Britain Working reforms will boost employment for people of all ages by overhauling Jobcentres and providing personalised work and skills support.

“We provide dedicated support to older workers via midlife reviews to encourage people to evaluate their skills and help break down barriers to employment, while our Women’s Employment Ambassador is collaborating with employers to enhance workplace support for women experiencing menopause symptoms.”