Helen Edward: Britain can’t afford to sideline older workers any longer

Helen Edward recently stood as Parliamentary Candidate for Kingston and Surbiton. She is also Deputy Chair for CWO London and CPF London Ambassador.

The House of Lords recently debated ‘Preparing for an Ageing Society, the economic implications of our ageing society’. It was a thoughtful discussion – but tellingly, led entirely by older men. No women. No younger voices. That absence matters. Because what we urgently need is a shift in how we talk – and act – on age and work in Britain.

We face a demographic squeeze: people are living longer, having fewer children, and dropping out of the workforce in their 50s. The old-age dependency ratio is heading towards 50 per cent and beyond. Without action, the burden on taxpayers, the NHS and the care system will become unsustainable.

But here’s the point too often missed: older people aren’t the problem. They’re a massive part of the solution – if we support them to stay in or return to work.

The crisis isn’t age – it’s inaction.

My father-in-law Arnold turns 99 in two weeks. He started his own business with his army pension in the 1950s, built it into a thriving company, and although he no longer drives the Rolls Royce he once earned, he still works every day, plays golf weekly, and never misses a Chelsea match. That spirit – of contribution, connection, and sheer determination – has kept him fit in every sense. He’s not the exception. He’s an example of what’s possible when we don’t write people off.

Yet today, thousands of over-50s are pushed out of the labour market long before they’re ready. Ageism in recruitment, rigid roles, and the subtle shift toward digital-only hiring have created invisible barriers. If we want to grow the economy without relying solely on immigration or borrowing, we must unlock the potential of older workers.

Raising pension age? Then raise support too. Calls to raise the state pension age are growing louder. But unless we also enable people to work longer, we’re simply moving pressure to pensions and welfare.

We need:
– Employer incentives to take on midlife candidates
– Flexible roles tailored to older employees
– “Returnerships” and Mid-career retraining schemes
– A government-led campaign to tackle age discrimination

Age is a protected characteristic under the 2010 Equality Act. So why are so many HR systems devoted to DEI still screening out older applicants without ever seeing their CVs?

Not just older workers: what about younger ones? This isn’t just about older people. One million 16–23-year-olds are currently classed as NEETs – not in education, employment or training. That’s a crisis too.

Digital-first recruitment, impersonal application processes, and over-reliance on pre-screening for DEI targets are making it harder than ever for young people to get a first break. And older workers are facing the same locked doors – often for opposite reasons.

If we’re serious about equality, we need to bring HR back to human. Face-to-face interviews, experience over tick-boxes, and fair treatment across all ages should be the baseline. Diversity must include age – and so should our hiring practices. Chronological age is less a determinant of productivity than health and fitness, education and environment.

If we want people to work longer, they need to stay healthier for longer. A shift from treatment to prevention in our NHS – especially around Alzheimer’s and chronic illness – isn’t just morally right, it’s fiscally urgent. Quality care homes are unaffordable for most. And no one knows the cost of their end of life, so we need a commercial insurance product. Family comes first and many women are locked into Caring roles, and this also inhibits their potential to participate in work and this hidden cost is not reflected in GDP or productivity data.

I work with Brave Starts, a social enterprise helping people over 50 re-enter the workforce with confidence, skill and purpose. We’re proving what’s possible – but we can’t do it alone.

If the government wants to boost productivity and reduce welfare bills, the answer is right in front of us: support people aged 55–65 to stay active and employed. The gains are economic, social, and personal.

We’ve adapted before – we can again.

The entry of women into the workforce was once seen as radical. Now it’s essential. We need the same mindset shift on ageing. This isn’t about charity – it’s about growth.

Demography is not destiny. Japan, Singapore, South Korea and others are adapting. So must we. If we delay, as Lord Lamont warned, the bill will only grow – in borrowing and debt, interest rates, pensions, care costs, and wasted talent.

The question isn’t whether we can afford to support older workers. The question is: can we afford not to?

Because this isn’t just about “them.” It’s about all of us. We will all one day be old. Let’s stop talking about ageing as decline – and start seeing it as potential waiting to be unlocked.

We can’t afford to let a generation of experienced workers – or a generation of ambitious young people – sit on the sidelines.

Let’s make work work for everyone.