Brian Dash

Brian Dash was speaking after the launch of a new policy paper by the Liberal Democrats, containing ideas on how to engage and support people making the transition from work to retirement.

Brian Dash said: "We hear a lot these days about how Britain is an ageing society. And it's true.
We are living longer. But why is it that we always hear about this in terms of it being a burden when actually, we should see it as an opportunity to harness the experience and skills of the over 50s.

It is a national scandal that a third of all people aged between 50 and 65 are out of work, most of them involuntarily.

It is a shocking waste of their potential, quite apart from costing the economy an estimated £16 billion.

That's why the Liberal Democrats have set out a series of measures to make it easier for people who want to to continue to work, full or part-time, past the traditional retirement age, as well as proposals to encourage those older people with spare time who are willing to do volunteer work in their communities.

Many people do not wish to give up work completely when they reach retirement age.

And many employers place enormous value on the experience of their workforce - and want to keep them as long as possible.

So it's crazy that current Inland Revenue rules stop people working for a company that is paying them a pension.

The Government could also do a lot more to encourage people in their 50s, 60s and 70s back into part time or full time education.

We should scrap the rule that says that no one over 55 can receive a student loan, so long as the loans can be guaranteed against their own assets, like a house or flat.

Incentives like travel passes or even pension credits could be used to encourage people back into voluntary activity - helping keep local communities safe and clean.

And much more could be done to help active older people to learn computer skills.

It's time the Government stopped seeing the 'greying' of Britain as a problem, but instead as a great opportunity."

NB. The proposals will be discussed at Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth on Wednesday 22nd September.

The full policy document is available on the Liberal Democrat website