EFFORTS to get those who took early retirement during the Covid-19 pandemic back into work are “misguided,” the Resolution Foundation said yesterday, urging ministers to prioritise older workers, mothers and disabled people. 

In its latest report, the think tank argued that Tory government policy aimed at addressing the drop in Britain’s labour force participation has been too focused on the impact of the health crisis.

The independent organisation highlighted the sharp rise in economic inactivity between 2019 and last year — up 830,000, the bulk of which involved over-50s — but it noted that the increase had already started before the first Covid-19 lockdown hit in March 2020.