A 63-year-old man has 'unretired' and rejoined the workforce as more older people seek employment amid rising living costs. Mahartab Gabri Hawit, known as Hawit, became a care assistant at Cera Care in February 2025 after four years of retirement. He told the Daily Express that there were 'no other choices or chances' for him at his age, and without the opportunity, life would have been 'hard'.
Rising Costs Drive Older Workers Back to Jobs
Hawit, who lives in Ealing Broadway, said he saved for retirement, but the global economic crisis and significant cost-of-living increases eroded his savings. 'I don't know what I would be doing if I didn't get back into work,' he said. He noted that the economic situation is not like it was 10 or 15 years ago, and many retired people may need to rejoin the workforce. 'I had to come back to work, because I don't know what comes next if not,' he added.
Hawit explained that despite saving, 'there was a moment when I felt did not have enough money to retire.' He elaborated: 'Due to the financial demands of daily living and necessary experience - not luxury - I realised that my savings would not be sufficient.' He also emphasized that he still feels able and ready to work, especially in a role where he can help others. 'Older people often have more to give and aren't always fulfilled in 100% retirement,' he said.
Nearly One Million Older Workers Struggling to Find Jobs
According to the latest data cited by The Telegraph, just under a million workers aged 50 or above are currently struggling to find work. The number of unemployed older people looking for work has increased by 22% since 2023, and this age group consistently suffers the highest rates of redundancy.
Hawit, who had a long career in healthcare administration including senior leadership roles in hospitals, was looking to return to work. Cera Care's Back to Work programme aims to create jobs for the unemployed and economically inactive. Its Second Chapter Initiative targets the Over-50s, while another initiative focuses on 18-to-24-year-olds, including NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training).
Government and Employer Initiatives to Support Older Workers
Cera Care is partnering with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to launch 50 new Government-funded Sector-Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) across the UK to encourage more workers into care. The company will also join the Government's Youth Guarantee scheme as part of 300,000 new work experience placements funded by the government, following Alan Milburn's NEETs report.
Hawit believes many people want to return to work: 'I think there's definitely a lot of people that want to go back into work. Care is an accessible way for people to get back into the workforce. If people are retired, it offers flexibility - that's not very easy for retired people to find.'
Minister Highlights Support for Older Jobseekers
Minister for Employment Dame Diana Johnson met with care workers in Hammersmith in June. She told Express.co.uk: 'Within job centres, there are older worker champions and their role is to give advice and knowledge to work coaches so they can best help someone through these circumstances. Often they will help write CVs or deal with gaps in CVs where people have had time off for caring responsibilities or they've retired. Understanding how you can explain that to an employer is important. There's also something called a mid-life MOT which also helps people as an over-50s worker.'
The minister noted that the National Careers Service is also available for support. She added that more mature workers often have more experience, which can be a huge advantage, especially in the care sector. She has heard of people returning to work to supplement their pension or simply for something to do in retirement. Dame Diana acknowledged that some over-50s who want to work face challenges and that the government needs to support them with training and skills. With 130,000 vacancies in the care sector, she said it's an opportunity people should consider.
Age UK Calls for Fair Access to Employment
Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, said: 'The UK, like many countries, has an ageing population and while more over-65s are working than ever before, many older people face significant barriers when it comes to staying in or returning to work. Older workers have a huge amount to offer through their skills, experience and reliability, and more employers are beginning to recognise the value they bring. However, too many older people still encounter age discrimination, outdated stereotypes, caring responsibilities or health challenges that can make it harder to remain in the workforce or rejoin it later in life. For some, continuing to work is a positive lifestyle choice, while others need to work for financial reasons but struggle to access the same opportunities as younger candidates. It is therefore vital that older people are given fair and equal access to employment opportunities, and that employers create workplaces and recruitment practices that are genuinely inclusive of all ages.'
