'Britain needs you' | Jeremy Hunt wants retirees back in work, but leaders are reluctant to hire them

Jeremy Hunt urged older people to return to the workforce last week, saying the country needed them and he was looking at ways to make "work worth your while".

The Chancellor addressed problems in the labour market in a speech that sought to set out his plans to tackle the country's weak productivity levels and boost economic growth.

Data from the Office of National Statistics shows that approximately 1million people in the UK have left work since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, with retirement the most popular reason given by people aged between 50-70.

"We will never harness the full potential of our country unless we unlock it for each and every one of our citizens. Nor will we fix our productivity puzzle unless everyone who can participate does," Hunt said.