LONDON, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The number of men and women continuing to work in Britain beyond their 65th birthdays has doubled over the last decade, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Saturday.
Those still employed after the age of 65 is now 1.19 million, over 10 percent of the total population of over-65s. In 2006 the number was 609,000, or 6.6 percent of the over-65 population.
The ONS released the figures to mark the International Day of the Older Person which is being celebrated Saturday, showing that Britons are living longer and working longer.
The ONS said the proportion of those aged 65 and over who work has almost doubled since records were first collected.
In 1992, when records first began, just 5.5 percent, or 478,000 over 65s were in employment. At that time most women retired at 60 while the retirement age for men was 65.
Of the over 65s still working 742,000 are men, with 448,000 women still in work. The ONS said according to the Labor Force Survey this compares with 301,000 men aged 65 and over in employment in 1992, when records first began, and 177,000 women during the same period.
An ONS spokesman said: "A possible factor contributing to the rise in employment among people aged 65 and over could be legislation which stopped employers from compulsorily retiring workers once they reached 65. This came into force in October 2011."
Latest figures also show that the 65 and over age group accounted for 22 percent of all part-time self-employment in 2015, up from 14 percent in 2001.
Almost half of those aged over 70 in employment in 2015 were self-employed, compared to 2001 when it was was nearer a third (39.68 percent).
The ONS said the economy may come to rely increasingly on older workers by the year 2039.
Under existing legislation, the number of people of State Pension Age (SPA) and over is projected to increase by 32.5 percent from 12.4 million in mid-2015 to 16.5 million by mid-2039.
This reflects the higher number of people who were born in the 1960s "baby boom" period reaching State Pension Age within the 25 year period to mid-2039.
Over the same period, the number of people of working age (age 16 to SPA) is projected to rise by 10.3 percent from 40.4 million in mid-2015 to 44.6 million by mid-2039.
The ONS said the working world for people aged 65 and over is similar to those aged 16 to 64, with six industries are responsible for just over 60 percent of the employment of both age groups. It means just over two thirds of older workers are employed in wholesale and retail, health and social work, manufacturing, education, professional scientific and technical, and finally construction.
