A collection of facts gathered by Wise Owls


What's happening to the UK workforce?
In 2004 there were 11.6 million people aged under 16 in the UK, a decline of 2.6 million
since 1971.


Social Trends 2006
· There are 1 million fewer people in their 20s than ten years ago. GAD 2005
· From 2010 onwards, the number of young people reaching working age will begin to fall
by 60,000 every year, fundamentally changing the shape of the workforce. Between 2010 and
2020 the UK will need 2.1 million new entrants to the adult workforce, a demand which can
only be met through a combination of most adults working longer and a huge increase in the
number of adults re-entering the labour market. City and Guilds 2006
· By 2011, the mean age of the UK population will exceed 40 for the first time; by about
2017/18, there will be more people over 40 than below 40. ONS 2005/2006
· For the first time in 2006 there were more 55
2005/2006
· 18.5% of the total UK population, (over 20 million) are aged 50 years and more than 11
million are over State Pension Age (65 for men and 60 for women). ONS 2005/2006
· In 2006 over 6.3 million people aged between 50 and the State Pension Age were in
employment. DWP Spring 2006
· In 2005, the employment rate for men between the ages of 50 and 64 was 72.4% and for
women between the ages of 50 and 59 was 68.4%. This compares to an employment rate for
all people of working age of 74.6%. DWP Spring 2006
he 55-64 year olds than 16-24 year olds. ONS
mployment.
· In 2006, 9.6% of men aged 65 and over and 11.1% of women aged 60 and over were still
in employment. DWP Spring 2006
· Immigration, especially from the enlarging EU, will play an increasing part in balancing
UK demographic trends. 70% of the projected increase in the total UK population - up 10
million to 69.5 million in the 50 years to 2055 - will be accounted for by immigration. The
Observer, May 2007
· Older people remain unemployed longer than their younger counterparts: 37% of those
aged 50 and over remain unemployed for more than 12 months against 27% of those aged 25-
49. Labour Market Statistics December 2006
Who faces age discrimination?
· The number of employment tribunal claims increased by more than 15% to 132,577 in
2006/07. The claims covered nearly 240,000 separate jurisdictions or complaints: 19% of
claims were for unfair dismissal (average award £7,974) and 16% related to sex, race or
disability discrimination. Equal Pay claims totaled over 44,000, two and a half times as great
as in 2005/06. ETS Statistics 2006/07
· The average awards for successful discrimination claims were £14,049 (race), £15,059
(disability) and £10,052 (sex). ETS Statistics 2006/07
· The UK Government anticipates that claims on age will be eight times greater than claims
on sexual orientation and religion and belief. If so, we could see nearly 5,250 claims on age
in 2007/8. DTI 2005
· A total of 972 age discrimination claims were brought in the first six months following the
introduction of the Age Regulations in October 2006. Of the 135 claims disposed of in this
period, 38% were withdrawn, 41% conciliated through ACAS and 8% struck out. ETS
Statistics 2006/07


Age discrimination claims
· The number of employment tribunal claims increased by more than 30% to 115,039 in
2005/06. The claims covered over 200,000 separate jurisdictions or complaints: 21% of
claims were for unfair dismissal (average award £8,679) and 11% related to sex, race or
disability discrimination. ETS 2006 annual report
· The average awards for successful discrimination claims were £30,361 (race), £19,360
(disability) and £10,807 (sex). ETS 2006 annual report
· The UK Government anticipates that claims on age will be eight times greater than claims
on sexual orientation and religion and belief. If so, we could see nearly 5,250 claims on age
in 2007/8. DTI 2005
· In Ireland age claims peaked at 17% in 2004 and have now settled at 11% of all
discrimination claims across 9 strands.
· In the Netherlands and Lithuania age claims make up 30% of all discrimination cases. The
number of age claims in France, Germany and Denmark is growing. Equal Opportunities
Review April 2006
· In the USA, where protection is limited to those over 40, age claims represented 17.9
percent of all complaints filed in 2006. In the same year, claims on the race ground amounted
to 35.9%, sex 30.7, and disability 20.6%. EEOC 2007


Work & Life after 65
· The UK's average retirement age is 63.8 years. Today a man who works to 64 spends on
average 31% of life in retirement. In 1950, the average man retired at 67 and spent 18% of
life in retirement. DWP 2006
· Current life expectancy for women aged 65 is 84.6, compared to 81.9 for men. Projections
for 2025 for life expectancy at 65 are 87.5 for women and 85.1 for men. GAD 2004
· The number of people aged 65 years and over is expected to rise by nearly 60% in the next
25 years, from 9.6 million in 2005 to over 15 million in 2031, when nearly 23% of England's
population will be aged 65 and over. ONS 2005/2006
· The number of people over 65 and still economically active will increase from 582,000 in
2005 to 775,000 in 2020 - an increase of 33%. ONS 2005/2006
· 81% of people with degrees (aged 50-SPA) worked until SPA or beyond, compared to 52%
of those with no qualifications. ONS 2005
· 8% of men aged 50 to SPA work part-time, an increase from 5% ten years ago. 40% of
men aged 65-69 are in part-time work. ONS 2005
Absence
· UK employees took an average of 7 days' sick leave in 2005. CBI/AXA survey 2006
· Younger employees are more likely to take sickness absence than older employees, with
3.2 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds and 3.0 per cent of 25 to 34-year-olds taking at least one
day off sick a week


Labour Market Trends 2005
· The rate for 35 to 49-year-olds and those between 50 and the State Pension Age is 2.8 per
cent. Labour Market Trends 2005
· Among men, those aged 16 to 24 were the most likely to be off sick (2.9 per cent) whereas
for women, those aged 25 to 34 had the highest rate of sickness absence (3.6 per cent).
Labour Market Trends 2005
· Other variables significantly associated with sickness absence are; disability, occupation,
workplace size, and age of youngest dependent child. Labour Market Trends 2005


Statistics taken from the Employers Forum on age http://www.efa.org.uk