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Unemployment: Older People

Asked by Charlie MaynardLiberal DemocratDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled Answered 18 June 2025UIN 59646

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of people over 50 who are classed as economically inactive but contribute to society through (a) volunteer and (b) unpaid work.

Answered by Alison McGovern

The department has not made such an estimate. We do not hold sufficient data to make this estimate in full. The number of inactive people over 50 who are inactive because of looking after their family or home could be estimated from the Annual Population Survey. DCMS’s Community Life Survey (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/community-life-survey-202324-annual-publication Community Life Survey 2023/24: Volunteering and charitable giving - GOV.UK) asks about volunteering and employment/unemployment status (see table C1b(E)).

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