Age and Employment
Introduction
In 1998, following a wide ranging consultation, the government launched their Welfare to Work strategy, which included measures to tackle age discrimination, raise awareness of age issues with employers and reverse the high level of unemployment faced by older people. The research evidence demonstrated that they were being ‘pushed’ out of employment but then were unable to find new or alternate employment due to ageist culture and practices amongst employers.
As the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have overall responsibility for this area of work, they have strived to make sure that a strong base of research evidence and analysis supports any policy or strategy development.
A wide range of social research and supporting research covering age and employment has been commissioned over the years – the Age & Employment section is just a part of the body of evidence. You can find a number of DWP Social Research Reports covering both Quantative and qualitative analysis of this work in the main section. These include:
- Research Report 182: Working after State Pension Age: Quantitative Analysis published 2003;
- Research Report 200: Factors affecting the labour market participation of older workers published 2003;
- Research Report 208: Working after State Pension Age: Qualitative research published 2004;
- DWP Research Report No. 299: Extending working life: a review of the research literature published 2005;
- DWP Research Report No 325: Survey of employers’ policies, practices and preferences relating to age published 2006.
The reports featured in the Age and Employment section of the website have been commissioned to fill gaps in the evidence, particularly relating to employers. They provide evidence and support for two DWP age related campaigns. These are:
Age Positive Campaign: which has been running since 2001 and is working to raise employer’s awareness and change attitudes and culture through highlighting the business benefits of an age diverse workforce. Working directly with small/medium and large employers and using their good practice to spread the message so that more employers will work within the spirit, and not just the letter, of the legislation being implemented.
Age Partnership Group ‘Be Ready’ National Guidance Campaign: The Age Partnership Group (APG) comprises 3 separate partnership groups representing England, Scotland and Wales. The APG has been funded and chaired by the Department for Work and Pensions from March 2005 through to October 2006. The aim of the group has been to plan and implement a high profile National Guidance Campaign (NGC) to provide employers and business advisers with a range of good practice help and information materials to help them change their views on employing and retaining older workers and help them prepare for age discrimination legislation implemented October 2006.
Click for Age and Employment research reports .