Fears rise over older workers

Older people need help finding jobs after huge numbers have become unemployed since the start of the coronavirus crisis, according to a campaign group.

The number of 50 to 64-year-olds who are out of work has increased by more than 175,000 since March 2020, according to the Centre for Ageing Better.

Its report warned of "grim" employment prospects for older workers, saying this age group was amongst the hardest hit by the economic downturn, with 121,000 over-50s made redundant between September and November 2020.

The group says older workers who were furloughed or had their hours cut were much less likely to have returned to work in the autumn than younger workers.