‘Low hire, low fire’ labour market: Britain’s boomers cling to jobs as young get locked out - The Business Times

UK faces NEET crisis among youth – but baby boomer generation employment rates are at a record IN THE early 2000s, Britain had as many as 10 young workers for every person over 65 with a job. Today there are just two, as older employees hang on for longer and first jobs are harder to come by. The number of Britons aged 65 and over in work topped 1.7 million earlier in 2026, according to the latest Office for National Statistics figures. Longer life expectancy and better health are delaying retirement, while cost-of-living pressures have also convinced people from the baby boomer generation to stay on the payroll a little longer. Employment rates for the group – many of whom are beyond state pension age – are at a record high.