Pre-Budget support for older workers welcomed

09/12/2009

Reacting to today’s Pre-Budget Report, TAEN – The Age and Employment Network has welcomed the announcements from the Chancellor of the Exchequer that measures will be introduced to support older people in the workplace.
 
TAEN have been campaigning to ensure that recruitment processes and Jobcentres take in to account the needs of older people. The news that older jobseekers will be given dedicated and specialist support will be welcome news to the 367,000 unemployed people over the age of 50.
 
TAEN research has shown that older men, in particular, are suffering in the current labour marker with only one in five over the age of 50 able to find a new job within three months and the number out of work for six months having doubled in the past year.
 
Dr Chris Ball, Chief Executive of TAEN says: “Today’s announcements by the Chancellor on older workers are welcome and timely steps in the right direction. Older people have been overlooked in the current recession and greater support is needed to ensure that they can continue to play an active role in the labour market.
 
 ”Older workers bring skills, knowledge and expertise to the workplace and we agree with the Chancellor that we can not “write off this experience.”
 
 "While more detail is needed on these measures, such as the waiting periods for fast tracking older workers and how Jobcentre Plus advisors will be trained to better support older job seekers, we are encouraged by these announcements.
 
 "By providing greater support for older workers and job seekers, we can work to ensure that a P45 is not a permanent one-way ticket out of the labour market."