Majority of 55-64 year olds not in jobs

Less than half of the 55-64 year olds in the Netherlands have paid work. The situation is however improving, the Social and Cultural Planning Bureau (SCP) concludes in a report presented yesterday.

“Participation in paid work by 55-64 year olds rose between 2003 and 2006 from 43.3 percent to 46.7 percent. If the increase in participation continues at the present rate, the cabinet’s target of at least 50 percent participation in this group will be achieved in 2010,” according to the SCP.

The material living circumstances of the over-55s has improved in the last decade, but they are simultaneously less happy. “The share of happy 55-54 year olds fell between 2001 and 2005 from 88 to 85 percent.” Among 65-74 year olds, this figure remained stable at 86 percent. The proportion of happy over-75s fell from 82 to 77 percent.

The SCP also concludes that over-65s are on average richer than the rest of the population. The share of over-65s living below the poverty line is 2.8 percent, compared with 6.1 percent in the whole population. Immigrant over-65s (11.4 percent) are an exception.

Source: NIS News, 25 June 2008