Great Britain : ONS calls on us to stop viewing 65 as the onset of ‘older age’

In its report ‘Living longer: is age 70 the new age 65?’ published on 19 November 2019, the UK’s Office for National Statistics clearly argues that considering people aged 65 as being ‘older’ is an outdated notion. According to the ONS, males age 65 can expect to live a further 18.6 years and females a further 21 years. These life expectancies are greater than formerly, and today’s 70 year-olds can look forward to the same life expectancy rates as those previously age 65. As such the ONS is asking if the notion of age should be reviewed in the context of the employment market and within companies. This along with the ending in 2011 of the age 65 retirement requirement means that today, approximately 1.2 million aged 65 and over are still working, and make up about 10% of the active labor force. Certain experts have jumped on the data and are calling for an end to the ‘older worker’ stigma in companies. The TUC confederation has nonetheless made a call for caution because this trend ‘is ignoring different individual experiences’. Indeed, the ONS study admits that even if in terms of life expectancy, today’s 70 equates to ‘yesterday’s’ 65, health problems are also becoming greater and from age… 65.