Over 5,000 workers in East Anglia to benefit from Mid-Life MOT

More than 5,000 workers in East Anglia are set to benefit from a new government-backed scheme helping over 50s approaching retirement.

Mid-Life MOTs were introduced in 2019 to encourage older workers to take stock of their work, wellbeing, and finances.

They act as a free review for workers in their 40s and 50s, enabling them to better prepare for their retirement by getting access to the best possible financial, health and career guidance.

The DWP is now expanding the offer, which is currently only delivered in Jobcentres to eligible benefit claimants, by collaborating with private suppliers including Reed in Partnership who will run the programme in East Anglia.

The expansion means people between the ages of 45 and 55 in work and not claiming benefits will be able to make use of the same support and guidance, signposted to them direct by their employer.

Minister for Employment, Guy Opperman MP said:

“We want people to make informed decisions when looking at their future, and to provide them with the support and guidance they need to do this.

“An employee focused Mid-Life MOT will give people in East Anglia the opportunity to really understand what their choices mean for the long-term.

“Older workers are a huge asset to the economy and this investment demonstrates how much this government values an age-diverse workforce.”

The programme will include help on boosting confidence for later life planning, signposting to helpful tools and providing employees with information and guidance on their health, enabling them to take action tailored to their circumstances.

Rhodri Thomas, Managing Director of Reed in Partnership added:

“We are really excited to be working on this new pilot with DWP. We have worked together to design an important intervention that will support workers to assess their work, wellbeing and wealth in their midlife years.

“We are looking forward to lending our expertise to the challenges and opportunities workers aged 45 years and older encounter and helping them to better prepare to achieve their goals in later life.

“The Mid-Life MOT will really benefit people in East Anglia and we hope that employers will engage with the opportunity to support their employees.”

The private sector Mid-Life pilot forms part of the wider Mid-Life MOT package. In the Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced that the department will be increasing the number of people who can access the support via their local Jobcentre, from 8,000 to 40,000 a year.