Helping more people in their 50s and early 60s stay in work could deliver a significant boost to Britain’s economy, according to new analysis from ILC’s UK Better Lives Index.

Initial findings from the UK Better Lives Index, published by the International Longevity Centre (ILC), highlight the stark inequalities that still shape life chances – but also where investment could make the greatest difference.

Helping more people in their 50s and early 60s stay in work could deliver a significant boost to Britain’s economy, according to new analysis from the UK Better Lives Index – which reveals the best and worst places in the UK to be born, grow up and grow old.

The Index brings together robust official data from across the four nations to give a new picture of how health, wealth and opportunity vary by place – and how those differences shape people’s lives from childhood to later life.

One striking finding is the untapped potential of older workers:

• If every area matched the employment rate of the best in its peer group, the economic contribution of 50–64-year-olds would rise by 19% – worth £109 billion.
• Even under a more modest scenario, where lagging areas simply caught up to the average, the UK would still gain nearly £20 billion.

The potential isn’t confined to prosperous areas. In Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, matching peer averages could increase local output from older workers by 46% (£211 million). In Burnley, Lancashire, the increase would be 37% (£154 million).

With labour shortages and economic growth high on the policy agenda, the findings show that supporting longer working lives could deliver meaningful benefits for individuals, local communities, and the wider UK economy.

Ben Franklin, ILC Deputy Chief Executive and project lead, commented: “The Better Lives Index shows why we must look beyond headline growth sectors and pay attention to the basics that shape people’s lives – from life expectancy to child poverty to housing affordability.

“When we get policy and support right, the payoff can be huge. Enabling more people in their 50s and 60s to stay in work could unlock over £100 billion for the UK economy – proving we can break the economic doom loop by investing in people and places, including those too often mislabelled ‘left behind’.”