Long-term unemployed older people may be forced into early retirement unless they are given the support to help them back into work according to a new report by the TUC. the report draws on research by the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) that unemployed peopleover 50 are ten times as likely to still be out of work than back in work after two years.

Furthermore, the report warns that a period of long-term unemployment for an older person can significantly increase their chances of never working again. This particularly affects men, with every year of unemployment making it 24.3% less likely that they will find work again. In addition, almost half of all unemployed people over 50 have been out of work for over a year.

The TUC calls for the Government's job guarantee, delivered by the Future Jobs Fund to be better funded and extended to benefit older people. They believe that the job guarantee, where employers receive subsidies for taking on an unemployed person for at least six months, is a better way to deal with long-term unemployment.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber, comments: "The idea of forcing older workers out of the labour market is morally offensive and would cause economic chaos. The UK would instantly lose vital skills and experience and young people would not necessarily be in a position to take up their jobs.

"Older people have the skills and experience needed to get us through this recession; the government must introduce tailored support to prevent them being forced into retirement against their will and face old age in poverty"