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IFS - Rise in depressive symptoms among poor women in their late 50s and early 60s
Our report finds a steep worsening of mental health among women in their late 50s and early 60s, particularly the least wealthy third of women.
Depressive symptoms have become more common since the mid 2010s among women in their late 50s and early 60s, with their prevalence rising from around 15% in the mid 2010s to 21% in 2023–24. The increase has been particularly steep among the least wealthy third of women, with the share experiencing these symptoms rising from around 30% in the mid 2010s to 39% in 2023–24.
In contrast, the share of men aged 55–64 experiencing depressive symptoms has been stable, averaging 11% over this period (and 22% for the least wealthy third of men).
The differing trends in mental health between poorer and wealthier women at these ages have parallels in physical health. Over the longer run (between 2002–03 and 2023–24), the overall prevalence of mobility problems among people aged 55–64 has fallen for both men (from 32% to 22%) and women (from 43% to 36%). The poorest third of women, though, have seen no improvement in mobility issues, with around 55% reporting at least one mobility problem.
These trends are important both in their own right and because poor health is an important predictor of labour market inactivity in the run-up to state pension age. The government has an ambitious target to increase the employment rate of 16- to 64-year-olds to 80% (from its current rate of 75%). Increasing employment among those aged 55–64 is likely to be important here, since employment rates of older working-age people in the UK are well below those in many other high-income countries. Poor mental health is likely to act as a significant headwind to the government’s employment target.
These are key findings from new research published by the Institute for Fiscal Studies and funded by the IFS Retirement Saving Consortium. Our new research provides more detail about these trends:
- Overall health (as measured by an index of physical and mental conditions that are predictive of work capacity) has improved modestly on average over the last two decades among men in their late 50s and early 60s. In contrast, the overall health of women of the same age is markedly lower than men’s, on average, and has remained broadly stable over time.
- There have been changes in the extent to which men and women report a significant number of conditions. In 2002–03, 7% of both men and women aged 55–64 reported six or more health problems(out of a set of twelve). By 2023–24, almost four times as many women as men reported six or more health problems (3% of men and 11% of women).
Bee Boileau, a Research Economist at IFS and an author of the report, said:
‘Mental health problems are often discussed as a young person’s problem. The rise in mental health problems among women in their late 50s and early 60s in recent years, particularly among poorer women, shows that this is not the whole story. Policymakers looking to increase employment for those in the run-up to state pension age – a group for whom there is likely to be significant potential to boost employment rates – should take account of the headwind from worsening mental health for poor women.’
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