Covid-19 and the ‘Great Resignation’ – how the UK workforce has changed due to the pandemic

Many middle-aged and elderly people have left the workforce since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, what some are calling a “big resignation”. Labor experts say the rise signals a worrying shift in unemployment due to health and retirement, and that employers are struggling to fill positions.

Between October and December 2021, the number of economically inactive people of all ages in the UK increased by 522,000 compared to the same period before the pandemic. The vast majority (94.4%) were over the age of 50, with 493,000 labor force left in this age group.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) includes unemployed people who have not looked for work in the past four weeks or who have not been able to start work within two weeks. A large number of workers between the ages of 16 and 24 became economically inactive in the early stages of the pandemic.

This peaked at 229,000 increases in January and March 2021, and from October to December 2019, 42.7% of the growth recorded during this period. But by the end of 2021, it had returned to pre-pandemic levels, while economic inactivity among the elderly was still increasing.

This means that 57.1% of people over the age of 50 were economically inactive in the three months to December, a rate that has been increasing since the start of the epidemic after the previous decline. Tony Wilson, director of the Employment Research Institute, called on ministers to take “emergency action” on this month’s mini-budget to boost employment and income, especially for working seniors.

“Employers also need to ramp up work and make sure that advertising and job development are accessible and inclusive for seniors,” he said. Office for National Statistics data showed that employees in professional occupations became economically inactive in the 1950s and 1970s.

The number rose by about 30,000 in the three months to September last year, compared to the period prior to the epidemic. This number was lower (21,000) for care, entertainment and other services, although it was the largest increase in the proportion of the group, from 3.0 percent to 6.0 percent.

The Office for National Statistics also interviewed people aged 50 to 70 who quit or lost their jobs after a pandemic and did not return. A survey conducted between February 8 and 13 found retirement as the most common reason for leaving work, according to 47% of respondents.

This is followed by epidemics (15%), diseases and disabilities (13%) and the desire to stop working (11%). A government spokesperson said: “Older workers are a huge asset to our economy and there are now more than 9 million employees over the age of 50 above their employer’s paycheck, an increase of 370,000 over the previous year.

“Our action plan helps hundreds of thousands of older workers retrain, develop new skills, and return to work, including the 50 Plus: Choice offer.” “At our Career Centers, we help people assess their skills, health, and wealth as they plan for their future careers, through midlife MOT grants and the advice and support of our senior workers.