Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's calls for millions of people who retired early after the pandemic to come back into the workforce has been met with a strong response. Mr Hunt said there is an “enormous and shocking waste of talent and potential”, and said he would unleash pension tax incentives to reverse the trend.
“To those who retired early after the pandemic, or haven’t found the right role after furlough, I say: Britain needs you”, Mr Hunt said.
But his campaign has been with with a strong response from many on social media, with many urging him to let people retire in peace.
Launching his campaign to reach out to people who had left the workforce, Jeremy Hunt said he wanted Brexit to become a “catalyst” for economic growth in order to reduce the “weaknesses” in the UK economy. If companies can’t employ the staff they need, they can’t grow,” he said at an event hosted by Bloomberg.
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He said that one fifth of working age adults are economically inactive. Around five million people do not want to work, he added.
“It’s time for a fundamental programme of reforms to support people with long-term conditions or mental illness to overcome the barriers and prejudices that prevent them from working.
“We will never harness the full potential of our country unless we unlock it for each and every one of our citizens.”
He added: “So to those who retired early after the pandemic, or haven’t found the right role after furlough, I say Britain needs you. And we will look at the conditions necessary to make work worth your while.”
Outlining his plan for growth, Jeremy Hunt said it would be based on what he called his “four pillars”.
The Chancellor, in a speech at Bloomberg in London, said he would use the pillars as a “framework” against to assess individual policies.
He said they were “essential for any modern, innovation-led economy”.
The four pillars, all beginning with the letter “E” are: enterprise, education, employment and everywhere.
But his please were met with a mixed response on Twitter.
One person posted : "have an idea for Jeremy Hunt. Rather than begging pensioners and the long-term sick to return to work how about joining the single market and allowing EU workers to work in the UK?"
Another said: "Why does Jeremy Hunt seem to think the answer is to get pensioners back into work ? Let people retire in peace and leave there pensions alone."
"An Idea for Jeremy Hunt. If you want pensioners back in the workplace and many of us would gladly work 5 days a week. Remove the tax rip off and stop taxing our meagre pensions. Make OAP pensions tax free. Simple see Jeremy if you remove the greed," another person said."
Another person tweeted: "FYI many ‘inactive’ retirees are caring for elderly relatives or grandchildren. My working life, 48 years, paid all taxes! Care for father, 89. We claim nothing from state, just keep paying in! Stop stigmatising pensioners! Many are active in community too doing vol. work!"
Another added: "Can I just point out that pensioners are actually still contributing to society as they pay taxes and have done so for 40 years at various rates! I would ask in response why does the UK have the lowest of all state pensions in Europe? Political bile to excuse raising the age!"
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