Age not a barrier for work, says expert

Age is no longer holding people back in the workplace, according to one expert.

Donna Tipping, a senior consultant at Forster AGEncy, said that when the default retirement age is abolished, people in their 50s no longer see “age as a barrier for changing career”.

She explained that for many of them, their motivation may be financial.

However, Ms Tipping also thinks that if the government raises the retirement age to 66, it will encourage employers to see the value of an older worker’s wisdom and experience.

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She added: “With a minimum of ten to 15 years left to work, why wouldn’t 50-somethings want to transfer their skills to another sector, or improve their work life balance?”

Her comments come after HSBC revealed 30 per cent of people in their 50s decide to have a change of career later in life. A further 55 per cent of older people in the UK said they do not think they will ever completely stop working.

Posted by Colette Paxton