Forget putting your feet up after decades of working – a growing cohort of people are continuing to work to stave off dementia and loneliness in old age.
One in three people say avoiding retirement and staying at work will help them live longer, according to a report by Bupa.
A survey of 8,000 adults found that half of over-55s believe working past retirement age would help to keep their brains active, and one in four believed it could help them to live longer.
Work “strengthens and builds the neurological pathways in our brains” which can lower the risk of conditions such as Alzheimer’s, according to Bupa’s Lead Behavioural Insights Specialist, Rex Fan.
“Our brain is like a muscle so the more we challenge it the better, helping build strength that directly impacts our brain and mind,” he added.
But just over a quarter of employees over 55 say they do not feel supported to stay in work, with 440,000 leaving their jobs every year.
The former boss of John Lewis, Sir Charlie Mayfield, said that keeping on pensioners made “good business sense” and could boost economic growth as the population ages.
Mayfield, who is leading the much-anticipated Keep Britain Working Review, reported a surge in the number of older people (50-64) with work limiting health conditions, up 32 per cent between 2019 and 2024.
The Bupa report forms part of the 2025 Bupa Wellbeing Index – a major report into the nation’s workplace health with over 50s currently make up over 9 million workers.
It found some 13 per cent of over-50s have already returned to work after retirement, and one in five said they would consider doing so. These people report a stronger sense of purpose, and improved mental and physical health.
The state pension age is currently 66, but is set to rise to 67 between 2026 and 2028, and then to 68 between 2044 and 2046.
Employers are being encouraged to support an aging workforce by offering flexible hours and private medical insurance so health problems are treated quickly.
“Workplace health strategies must evolve to meet the needs of an ageing workforce, and we all have a part to play; healthcare providers, employers, employees and the government,” said Carlos Jaureguizar, the Bupa chief executive.
Ben Harrison, Director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, added: “Being in work can make a positive contribution to people’s physical, mental and social health – but only if jobs themselves promote better health and well-being.
“Too often we find that those on low incomes or who are already suffering with their health are unable to access the kind of workplace policies that could support them to remain in employment when they suffer a setback.”
He wants to see the government and employers commit to ensuring no generation “faces a choice of trading security and access to health-related benefits for the flexibility at work they may need to manage their well-being in later life.”
