The Learning and Work Institute has published a new report, alongside the Centre for Ageing Better, showing a risk of a surge in long-term unemployment among older workers after the COVID-19 outbreak. The report recommends three steps for the government to support older workers to prevent long-term unemployment, which are: new back-to-work support programmes must not repeat the mistakes of the Work Programme; the Government’s announcement of a broad programme of traineeship opportunities available to workers under 25 should be accompanied by support for all adults to retrain, including the over 50s; and there is a need for further work to understand financial wellbeing among older workers, how the pandemic has affected them, and the options available to support them, so that appropriate action can be taken.
