Up to a million unemployed older people could be adding up to £30 billion to the UK's economic output, a new report claims.
Age Concern said over-50s created a quarter of the country's economic wealth and had the potential to produce much more.
An increase of just 0.3 per cent in workers aged 50-69 would add £63 billion to the country's economic output by 2021, it was suggested.
The campaign group said its research challenged the view that an ageing population was a burden on the economy.
Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern said: "It is high time we lost our ageist attitudes, not our older workers."
Tuesday February 10, 2004
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article