Commenting on recent labour market figures released by the Office for National Statistics, Chris Ball, Chief Executive of TAEN – The Age and Employment Network, says:

“These figures suggest a gloomy outlook for the entire working population. The fall of 305,000 in the number of employees in the three months to September 2011 represents the largest decrease over one quarter since comparable records began in 1992. While much attention will rightfully focus on the situation faced by young jobseekers, the figures also raise serious questions about the government’s policies for older people.

“The number of people aged over 65 in work has fallen for the third month in a row, with only 849,000 people in that age group working in the three months to September – a fall of 32,000 when compared with the three months to August. This throws fresh doubt on the government’s plans to accelerate a rise in the State Pension Age at a time when the number of jobs for older people is decreasing. It would indeed be disastrous if the over 65s continued to struggle for work at precisely the time that they will be made to work longer.

“The figures also suggest a particularly poor outlook for older male jobseekers. The number of men aged 50-64 in employment was 3.92 million in the three months to September, a fall of 9,000 when compared with same period last year. This is the only age group over 25 that has seen such a fall. It underlines the urgent need to ensure that the employment aspirations of these older jobseekers are met and not forgotten in the scramble to find work for the young.

“The overall picture is made bleaker still by the persistence of a high rate of long-term unemployment for the over-50s, with a rise of 9,000 to 169,000 in the three months to September in the number of those aged 50-64 out of work for 12 months or longer. This suggests that those who have not dropped out of the labour market altogether still face some of the biggest barriers to re-entry.”