Age and work; a study of 489 men in heavy industry.

Of the numerous expressions of future demographic trends in Britain, none is more starkly realistic than the calculation of the Royal Commission on Population (1949) that: "The cost to the Exchequer of retirement pensions, making no allowance for any future fall in mortality, is estimated (at pension rates current in 1948) to increase from £238 millions in 1948 to £501 millions in 1978". An extension of working life beyond the present conventional retiring age would both reduce national expenditure and increase national income, but if indeed " occupation is the best medicine" it would also achieve an immeasurable increase in health, happiness, and efficiency for old folk themselves. Much has been said and written on the employment of old people. Reduced to its elements the problem is how to provide suitable work for those who are fit, willing and have, or can acquire, the necessary skills. It is important to remember that this problem does not arise only at or after the age of 65 years; there is evidence that it begins some years earlier. Table 1 shows the percentage unemployment by age groups in June, 1950 (Ministry of Labour Gazette, June, 1951).