1. New Lessons for Understanding Retirement and Employment Transitions in Later Life
Dr Brian Beach Senior Research Fellow International Longevity Centre – UK

2. ILC-UK Planning Tomorrow, Today
Westminster based think tank
Evidence-based research organisation
Experts in ageing, demography and longevity
Focused on policy
Independent and well-respected
Affiliated with University College London
Partners Programme, including Newcastle University, Prudential, EY
Well-networked – ILC Global Alliance

3. The ILC Global Alliance

4. The Missing Million series
Explored the challenges related to work in later life
Report 1 highlighted the degree of ‘involuntarily joblessness’ and willingness to work among 50-64
Report 2 discussed labour market transitions of those and outlined some of the primary barriers they face
Report 3 presented recommendations for action for policy and business, informed by two roundtables

5. New Research on Work in Later Life
Uncertain Futures: Managing Late Career Transitions and Extended Working Life
renEWL: Research on Extending Working Lives

6. New Research: Uncertain Futures
Explored the evidence for new “late career transitions” in England, comparing this with the US
Looked at the impact of life course factors on these transitions
Asked how extended working lives were constructed in the workplace, in terms of practices, training, human resources, and occupational health through in-depth interviews in five sectors

7. Uncertain Futures: Evidence for New Late Career Transitions
Little evidence that people are shifting from full-time to part-time work as they approach retirement
Gender differences: women typically did not work at all or worked part-time before retirement
“Bridge” employment – un-retirement or moves into PT work or self-employment – is not common
Volunteering was only associated with PT work
Access to flexible work opportunities in later life is limited
Cliff-edge retirement remains the norm

8. Uncertain Futures: Life Course Factors
Those who face adversities during childhood – e.g. abuse, neglect – face diminished employment prospects in later life
Early exit due to long-term illness (3x at age 55)
Psychological health issues in adulthood increase risk of early exit by age 55, with risk increasing with frequency
In men, also increased likelihood of PT work at 55
Interventions to improve employment in later life may be required across the life course and target at-risk groups
Flexible (PT) work may be particularly important for helping those with mental health concerns to stay in work in later life

9. Uncertain Futures: Employee and Manager Views
Industrial sector and pension entitlement (i.e. type) influence expectations of retirement timing
Abolition of mandatory retirement has reduced the management of retirement over fears of discrimination
Affordability is a major factor in when workers expect to retire, promoting early retirement and working up to SPA
Poor health is sometimes hidden for fears of losing work (and unable to afford losing it), while the fear of future ill health among those fit encouraged earlier retirement
Flexible working arrangements are limited outside admin/offices
Ageism: little overt, but ‘lookism’ and internal ageism

10. New Research: renEWL
Explored how working conditions and socioeconomic background influence extended working lives
Looked at the impact of earlier life course circumstances and lifestyle patterns on later work experiences
Three domains:
Working conditions and occupational group
Health
Caring responsibilities and family structure

11. renEWL: Working Conditions and Occupational Group
Managers/professionals and lower non-manual workers more likely to work past SPA than elementary workers
Mainly through physical workload and work-time control
Preferences and actual exit:
Higher levels of job control and autonomy (later P and AE)
Sense that work not recognised (early P and AE)
High psychosocial job demand (early P but not AE)
Area (higher unemployment in 2011) influences early exit in 2011
Health: only true for good health

12. renEWL: Health
Psychological distress at any time in adulthood increases likelihood of unemployment at age 55
True also for anxiety or depression in childhood (plus risk of permanent illness)
Those with highest 10% cognitive health at age 53 more likely to be in bridge employment at ages 60-69
Also for physical health and volunteering
Physical limitations also associated with negative reason for exit
Midlife health behaviours shape later life employment
Men: smoking, heavy drinking – and exit more likely re: health
Women: heavy drinking, poor diet

13. renEWL: Caring Responsibilities and Family Structure
The onset of informal caring leads to early exit among women
Also true for men giving care within the household
Becoming a carer is related to changes in health behaviours for those with poorer psychosocial working conditions
Increased alcohol consumption for those with low decision latitude (job control) or in low occupational group
More likely to quit smoking if job demands low or high support at work
Early and mid-adulthood family circumstance influence work in later life
Parenthood in early adulthood: men less likely to be FT after 60
Partnered women in mid-adulthood more likely to be PT or HM

14. Policy Implications
Inequality is prominent throughout many areas of the fuller working lives agenda.
Current systems and structures are not sufficient to provide everyone a fair chance of working into later life.
Interventions and support to encourage work in later life must not be left until late adulthood.
A life course approach is needed, particularly in mental health.
Physical health is important, but it is not everything.
Mental health, but also working conditions and psychosocial factors
For policies on EWL to succeed, they must include more than work
Health, family, geography, lifestyles, caring…

15. Many thanks!
Dr Brian Beach Senior Research Fellow International Longevity Centre – UK (ILC-UK)