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Transition from work to retirement in EU25
- Authors:
- ZAIDI Ashgar, MAKOVEE Mattia, FUCHS Michael
- Publisher:
- London School of Economics. Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion
- Publication year:
- 2006
- Pagination:
- 35p.
- Place of publication:
- London
The policy agenda of extending working lives requires a holistic understanding of factors underlying the decision of older workers to withdraw from work and to retire. This brief paper presents employment patterns and trends of older people across EU Member States and identifies policy initiatives that would encourage more flexible and later retirement. The descriptive empirical evidence (from the EU Labour Force Survey) indicates that there are a broad range of experiences in EU countries with respect to the employment of older workers (those aged 50 and over). Strikingly, in the majority of EU15 countries, close to one-half of those of 50 and over are either unemployed or inactive, with reliance either on early retirement pensions or on social assistance benefits. The recent pension reforms in a number of these countries have increased the retirement age and this is likely to induce older workers to work longer. There is already some evidence that the effective retirement age is on the increase. Results suggest that the increase in older workers' employment is stronger for women than for men, and also for more highly educated. In most instances older workers either tend to be in full-time employment or inactive with very few occupying intermediate positions. Although there is some evidence of a gradual transition towards retirement, there is still a relatively minor proportion of the work force taking advantage of this, as well over 70% of men and around 55% of women in employment in their early 60s worked 35 hours a week or more. The policy aim should therefore be to encourage 'flexible and later retirement'. Additional incentives need to be provided so that people are not only able to move between jobs in later working life but also able to work part-time, without losing their entitlement to benefits (such as early retirement pensions). Such policy incentives will enable workers to avoid the phenomenon of a 'cliff-edge' fall into retirement that many of them often face.
Poverty of elderly people in EU25: first report: revised July 2006
- Authors:
- ZAIDI Ashgar, et al
- Publisher:
- European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research
- Publication year:
- 2006
- Pagination:
- 63p., tables
- Place of publication:
- Vienna
- Edition:
- Rev. ed.
These findings are that, in the early years of the 21st century, about 13 million elderly people are at risk of poverty in 25 EU member States, amounting to as many as one-in-six of all 74 million elderly people living in EU. Cyprus, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Greece and the United Kingdom are identified as the countries with the highest poverty risk for the elderly population. The new member States are largely countries with the lowest risk of elderly poverty. In 14 out of all 25 member countries the elderly populations are more often at risk of being poor in comparison to working-age populations. The relative risk of elderly poverty is particularly high in Cyprus, Ireland and Slovenia. Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, the Netherlands and Luxembourg are at the other end of the spectrum, where the elderly are better protected against the risk of poverty than the working-age individuals. In the majority of countries, the poverty risk is clearly higher for female elderly - more so in EU15 than in the new member countries. In general, it can be seen that females aged 75 and over show the highest at-risk-of-poverty rates.
Intergenerational solidarity: policy challenges and societal responses
- Authors:
- ZAIDI Ashgar, GASIOR Katrin, SIDORENKO Alexandre
- Publisher:
- European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 12p.
- Place of publication:
- Vienna
Arguing that societies experiencing population ageing need to embrace the need for mutually beneficial and satisfying relationships between generations, this policy brief looks at the policy challenges that intergenerational solidarity presents and how societies are responding to them. It discusses what is meant by the term intergenerational solidarity within international policy frameworks, and the current status of solidarity across generations in the European Union. The authors present and analyse key results from the 2009 Flash Eurobarometer Intergenerational Solidarity survey concerning perceptions about the relations between younger and older EU citizens, perceptions on affordability of pensions and elderly care, and perceptions about the role of public authorities in promoting better understanding between young people and older people. The authors recommend that societies should continue to promote positive yet realistic images of ageing and older people, and that major stakeholders should raise awareness about the need for intergenerational solidarity.
Mainstreaming ageing: indicators to monitor sustainable policies
- Editors:
- MARIN Bernd, ZAIDI Ashgar, (eds.)
- Publisher:
- Ashgate
- Publication year:
- 2007
- Pagination:
- 850p.
- Place of publication:
- Aldershot
The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA), adopted at the Second World Assembly on Ageing, is the first international agreement that specifically recognises the potential of older people to contribute to the development of their societies. In monitoring its implementation two key approaches are evident: a qualitative bottom-up participatory approach and an approach that uses quantitative indicators to monitor sustainable progress and policies. With the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, playing a pivotal role in the monitoring of the implementation process, one of its key tasks has been to develop a list of 'indicators of achievement'. This book contains extended and revised versions of policy briefs and background papers that support the implementation monitoring process. The analyses included in these chapters make concrete suggestions towards quantitative indicators, with the aim of assisting national governments in mainstreaming ageing in their policies. The contributors provide an overview of the current situation with respect to population ageing and its consequences and also provide projections for the future. The book also includes the final list of quantitative indicators that arose out of consultations with international experts, related to the four main topics addressed: demography, income and wealth, labour market participation, and social protection and financial sustainability.
Ageing, health and pensions in Europe: an economic and social policy perspective
- Editors:
- BOVENBERG Hans, VAN SOEST Arthur H.O., ZAIDI Ashgar, (eds.)
- Publisher:
- Palgrave Macmillan
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 408p.
- Place of publication:
- Basingstoke
This book presents an overview of the future research challenges facing economists and social scientists concerning population ageing, pensions, health and social care in Europe. Experts discuss how scientific research can provide evidence on three themes that are dominating the current European economic and social policy debate: income security of the elderly; well-being of the elderly; and labour markets and older workers. The writers discuss the remaining knowledge gaps and research opportunities, review data needs and other infrastructure requirements and explore the implications for research policy.