Labor unveils drive to get over 50 back to work as nearly 2m people on benefits

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Labour's Jonathan Ashworth said the over-50s had "enormous talents and experiences that we cannot afford to lose on the job. labor market", when he proposed to help the elderly to return to work

Figures show there has been a 17% increase in the number of people over 50 receiving unemployment benefits since the start of the pandemic (

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Labour has pledged to help more people over the age of 50 get back to work, as it emerged that almost two million people are now claiming unemployment benefits.

Figures show there has been a 17% increase in numbers since the start of the pandemic.

In February 2020, 1.6 million people over the age of 50 received unemployment benefits, but by May last year that figure had risen to 1.9 million.

Labour has accused the Conservative government of having 'failed miserably over 50 years'. He warned Britain was at risk of becoming 'the sick man of Europe' due to a combination of inadequate jobs support and the NHS crisis.

Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: 'This is a staggering increase in the number of people over 50 on unemployment benefits.

"The over 50s have enormous talents and experiences that we cannot afford to lose in the job market. That's why we've come up with a new approach to help older people get back to work .

Ghost Work and Pensions Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said there was a "staggering increase" in the number of people over 50 receiving unemployment benefits (

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“The new approach to tackling disincentives in the benefit system and specialist employment support that we have described shows that Labor is now the party of welfare reform, as we target the highest employment rate in the G7."

Mr. Ashworth promised that a Labor government would provide targeted help for the over-50s, including pledging to offer all those...