Jenny Willott, the Liberal Democrat MP for Cardiff Central, has welcomed the Coalition Government’s appointment of Dr Ros Altmann as its new Business Champion for Older Workers.
The Business Champion will promote the benefits of older people in the workplace. The appointment follows the publication in June of the Government’s action plan to support over-50s at work.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the number of over 65-year-olds in work across the UK doubled from around 500,000 in 2003 to over a million in 2014. Meanwhile, 7.9 million people aged 50 to 64-years-old are in work compared to 6.6 million in 2003.
Just under 10% of pensioners in Cardiff still work.
Commenting, Jenny Willott MP, said:
“The appointment of a Business Champion for Older Workers marks the latest step in the government’s drive to support over-50s at work. Older people bring a vast amount of experience and can help younger workers climb the ladder. Many older people enjoy work and as people live longer it is only right that the government supports them. Older workers provide a boost to local firms and are vital to the success of the economy in Cardiff.
“Ros Altmann has a powerful record of campaigning for the former ASW steelworkers and I’m sure she’ll bring the same zeal to this new role.”
