Income in Later Life : Work History Matters

We know relatively little about the relationships between older people's incomes and their work history patterns, and how these are mediated by other factors such as gender, partnerships, ill-health and disability.

This report draws on data from the British Household Panel Survey to fill these gaps. Questions asked include: Have the trends in employment and income changed during the 1990s?

To what extent are employment and income for individuals in their 50s similar to those for individuals of pension age?

How does income change in the years around retirement?

What is the relationship between an individual's income in old age and his or her employment history during his or her working life?The report is one of the few UK studies about incomes in later life that uses longitudinal data as well as information about work histories.

It should be of interest to researchers and policy analysts who study incomes in later life, retirement and work careers.