- “Midlife crisis” of early retirees prompts major new commission
- Skincare entrepreneur Liz Earle MBE, broadcaster Angela Rippon and TV personality Penny Lancaster backing initiative to transform later life chances
- Just two per cent of over 50s on benefits required to look for a job
Older workers are leaving the labour force in record numbers, according to new research from a leading think tank.
The number of people aged 50 to 64 on out of work benefits has reached an all time high of 2.15 million, according to analysis of the latest figures by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ).
Since the Autumn Budget, more people aged 50 to 64 left company payrolls than any other age group except for 25 to 34s.
This has prompted fears that the jobs market is getting tougher for thousands of older workers as well as for young people and graduates, following the Government’s £25 billion tax increase on national insurance contributions.
Analysis by the think tank found that over 80,000 people aged 50 to 64 left company payrolls since November 2024, while out of work benefit claims rose by 51,000.
However, this builds on a longer term trend that has seen the number of older workers signing on soar by over 600,000 since the pandemic.
Fewer than two in a hundred over 50s on benefits are required to seek work, down from roughly one in ten over the same period.
The CSJ warns that there is a “midlife crisis” facing the economy, with rising numbers of people in the golden years of their lives facing financial instability, loneliness and poor health.
In response the think tank has launched a major new commission of experts, politicians and public figures who will examine what is driving this phenomenon and consider policies that can be adopted to reverse the wastage of talent and experience.
Analysis by the Institute for Employment Studies has found that higher levels of working age economic inactivity are costing the Exchequer at least £16 billion per year in lost tax receipts, more than the entire annual budget for the Ministry of Justice.
Yet the consequences for individuals of detaching from the labour market and wider society are even more concerning.
One focus group participant told the CSJ: “I’m 57, I’m at a dodgy age… volunteering helps, but not enough to go out and look for work.”
Another said: “When it comes to looking for work, it’s like walking into a horror film.”
The cross party Commission will be chaired by prominent British entrepreneur Liz Earle MBE. A Call for Evidence has been launched to gather the views of members of the public.
Commissioners include broadcaster Angela Rippon, model and TV personality Penny Lancaster, Labour MP Carolyn Harris, Conservative MP Joe Robertson, former Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Jonathan Ashworth, Founder and Chair of the Hallmark Foundation Avnish Goyal CBE, organisations including Lowell, and representatives of hundreds of small charities with direct experience supporting people in their 50s and 60s. More commissioners are set to be announced.
Liz Earle said:
“I’m delighted to be chairing the Beyond Midlife Commission at the CSJ. For too long we’ve overlooked people midlife and older despite their experiences and their resilience. This comes at great cost to individuals, companies and the government.
Now is the time to challenge these assumptions. This Commission will put forward practical ways for people to stay secure, valued and economically active as they age.”
Penny Lancaster said:
“I’ve met many women who feel pushed aside in midlife, when they still have so much to contribute. There is no better time for this Commission to listen to the real experiences of people facing obstacles to work and ensure midlife is seen as a time of renewed possibility instead of decline.”
Joe Robertson MP said:
“If the Government is serious about growth, it must confront the sharp rise in out of work benefits among people aged 50 to 64. Modest gains here could deliver huge returns for the economy and public finances.
I am excited to join this Commission and work to develop the solutions needed to stop midlife becoming a cliff edge for good work.”
Notes to Editors
Methodology: The CSJ analysed combined benefit data from the DWP to understand the total number of people aged 50 to 64 on out of work benefits, taking into account Universal Credit as well as legacy benefits (DWP, Stat Xplore). In the latest data (Aug 2025) there were 2.15 million claimants, 600,000 more than before the pandemic (Feb 2020) and 51,000 more than the Autumn Budget (Nov 2024).
Figure 1: People aged 50 to 64 on out of work benefits
Source: CSJ analysis of DWP Stat Xplore, 2026