Record numbers of Britons have left the workforce since the pandemic – but could the rising cost of living bring them back?
Record numbers of people aged 50 and over in the UK have become economicially inactive since the start of the pandemic, the Office for National Statistics said this spring, with the majority (77%) of adults aged 50 to 59 saying they left their previous job sooner than expected.
Guardian readers who responded to a callout described their reasons for leaving the workforce in their 50s – some permanently, some for the time being – with many saying the pandemic had played a role in their decision.
