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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 'Alarming' number of over 50s out of work in Wales | 'Alarming' number of over 50s out of work in Wales |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| There is an urgent need for policies to improve the job prospects for the over 50s, the Welsh assembly's enterprise and business committee has warned. | There is an urgent need for policies to improve the job prospects for the over 50s, the Welsh assembly's enterprise and business committee has warned. |
| There are 1.2 million people over 50 in Wales and more than a third of 50 to 64-year-olds are not working. | There are 1.2 million people over 50 in Wales and more than a third of 50 to 64-year-olds are not working. |
| Chairman William Graham said this was "alarming" while work was "now a necessity - not a choice for the majority of this age group". | Chairman William Graham said this was "alarming" while work was "now a necessity - not a choice for the majority of this age group". |
| There was a need to dispel "myths" that older workers were less productive. | There was a need to dispel "myths" that older workers were less productive. |
| In Wales, 53,000 people aged 65 and over are employed, an increase of 14% over the year to March 2014. | In Wales, 53,000 people aged 65 and over are employed, an increase of 14% over the year to March 2014. |
| But that means just over 9% of this age group is in employment in Wales. | But that means just over 9% of this age group is in employment in Wales. |
| People over 50 are more likely to be unemployed for more than a year than any other age group in Wales, the committee found. | People over 50 are more likely to be unemployed for more than a year than any other age group in Wales, the committee found. |
| 'Undervalued' | |
| The Older People's Commissioner told AMs she found this "quite alarming". | The Older People's Commissioner told AMs she found this "quite alarming". |
| They were "undervalued, underappreciated and very much an afterthought" in terms of programmes to help them. | They were "undervalued, underappreciated and very much an afterthought" in terms of programmes to help them. |
| The proportion of over 50s out of work in Wales is the highest in the UK, apart from in Northern Ireland. | The proportion of over 50s out of work in Wales is the highest in the UK, apart from in Northern Ireland. |
| Of those who are working, one in three are working part-time, with women more likely to be working part-time than men. | Of those who are working, one in three are working part-time, with women more likely to be working part-time than men. |
| Barriers included care responsibilities but also ageism, and stereotypes that the over 50s are in poor health, are less productive or are slower to adapt to new technologies. | Barriers included care responsibilities but also ageism, and stereotypes that the over 50s are in poor health, are less productive or are slower to adapt to new technologies. |
| Prime Cymru, a charity which helps older workers find work or set up their own businesses, told the AMs that the employers' group the CBI has forecast that the UK will need 13.5 million new workers in the next 10 years and that there are only 7 million young people entering the workforce. | Prime Cymru, a charity which helps older workers find work or set up their own businesses, told the AMs that the employers' group the CBI has forecast that the UK will need 13.5 million new workers in the next 10 years and that there are only 7 million young people entering the workforce. |
| The report makes 11 recommendations, including: | The report makes 11 recommendations, including: |
| A Welsh government spokesperson said: "We will consider the report and respond in due course." | A Welsh government spokesperson said: "We will consider the report and respond in due course." |
| CASE STUDY - A NEW DAWN - FROM 'SCRAPHEAP' TO BUSINESS OWNER | CASE STUDY - A NEW DAWN - FROM 'SCRAPHEAP' TO BUSINESS OWNER |
| Dawn Wilcox helped children struggling with reading in schools when she was made redundant at the age of 52. | Dawn Wilcox helped children struggling with reading in schools when she was made redundant at the age of 52. |
| Her daughter, 26, was also made redundant at the same time in March 2014 and they pooled their redundancy money to start their own cafe business in Ystrad, Rhondda Cynon Taff. | Her daughter, 26, was also made redundant at the same time in March 2014 and they pooled their redundancy money to start their own cafe business in Ystrad, Rhondda Cynon Taff. |
| "I was quite scared when they delivered the news. When you lose your job it drains you of everything, you feel so worthless. You think 'all these years I've put into training and that's not needed anymore'. | "I was quite scared when they delivered the news. When you lose your job it drains you of everything, you feel so worthless. You think 'all these years I've put into training and that's not needed anymore'. |
| "I had a lot of family commitments besides so I didn't feel like going through the retraining route. | "I had a lot of family commitments besides so I didn't feel like going through the retraining route. |
| "It's nice to come into work knowing you're your own boss and doing something totally different." | "It's nice to come into work knowing you're your own boss and doing something totally different." |