Over-fifties add second jobs as cost of living bites into savings
The number of people aged 50 and older with a second job has increased by more than 100,000 in the past decade, according to new research.
The total jumped to more than 440,000 in the first quarter of the year, almost a third more than the same period in 2013, said Rest Less, which offers advice to older workers.
Its study of official data found that of the 1.27 million people in the UK with a second job, over a third of them were aged 50 and older.
Stuart Lewis, chief executive of Rest Less, said: “We’re seeing a steady rise in the number of over 50s with second jobs.
“For many professionals, midlife is a time of great transition and opportunity and some people opt to move to a portfolio career, using their talents and experience in a number of different areas such as advisory roles or non-executive board positions to maintain a broad set of interests.
“For those less fortunate, there is also a darker side to the statistics.
“Unable to find secure and stable work due to age discrimination and a lack of flexible working opportunities, many are forced into taking unsecure low paid jobs and find themselves needing to juggle a number of part-time jobs in order to make ends meet – a trend that will have been exacerbated by high inflation and the current cost-of-living crisis.”
Mr Lewis said flexible work was one of the most important considerations older people have when looking for jobs.
A lack of flexible working opportunities has resulted in people having to take on a number of part-time jobs in order to juggle work around other life, health and caring responsibilities, said Rest Less.
Press Association