Understanding the Age Divide: What the Latest UK Employment Data Reveals About Age Diversity in Work
The Age Diversity Forum
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This article examines the latest UK employment and unemployment figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and explores what they reveal about the evolving age profile of the workforce.
The UK’s labour market continues to display significant age-based disparities in employment and unemployment. While younger workers face persistent challenges, older workers are extending their participation, reshaping what “working life” means in Britain today.
Setting the Scene: What the ONS Data Tells Us
The ONS A05 SA dataset reports rolling three-monthly, seasonally adjusted figures, providing insight into how employment and unemployment fluctuate across age groups (Office for National Statistics, 2025).
The latest release, to August 2025, shows a national unemployment rate of 4.8%, stable compared to earlier in the year. Yet, beneath that headline figure lies a far more complex picture of how different generations are faring in the labour market.
While the ONS cautions that finer age breakdowns are subject to sample variability and periodic revision, the trends are consistent — and significant.
Employment and Unemployment by Age
Age Diversity in Focus
The data offers a compelling narrative about the opportunities and imbalances shaping the modern workforce.
1. The Youth Challenge
Younger workers continue to face the steepest climb into stable employment. At around 13–14%, youth unemployment remains nearly three times the national average. This disparity reflects ongoing barriers, from limited access to entry-level roles to a lack of workplace experience.
Employers have an opportunity here: to bridge education and employment through targeted early-career programmes, mentorships, and skills development initiatives that make the transition smoother and more sustainable.
2. The Mid-Career Plateau
Workers aged 25–49 enjoy the highest employment rates, yet this demographic is also at the heart of major structural change, automation, hybrid work, and new skills requirements.
The key challenge is adaptability. Employers who invest in continuous learning and mid-career reskilling not only retain critical expertise but also future-proof their organisations against disruption.
3. The New Face of Older Work
The growing number of people working beyond 65 marks a profound shift in societal attitudes to age and employment.
For many, extended working life is a positive choice, offering purpose, connection, and income security. For others, it is driven by financial necessity amid rising living costs.
Organisations that embrace flexible, age-inclusive practices, such as phased retirement, part-time opportunities, and ergonomic design, are better positioned to harness the experience and stability older workers bring.
The Inclusion Imperative
Against the backdrop of demographic ageing, the case for age inclusion is stronger than ever. This is not merely a moral or compliance issue, it is a strategic economic imperative.
The future of work will depend on how effectively organisations build bridges, not barriers, between generations.
Conclusion: The Value of All Ages
The ONS data depicts a labour market in transition, where traditional boundaries around age and work are dissolving. The challenge for employers and policymakers alike is to view this not as a demographic problem but as an opportunity, to redefine work through inclusion, flexibility, and lifelong contribution.
A truly age-diverse workforce is one that values the insight of experience, the creativity of youth, and the resilience that comes from collaboration across generations.