DWP launches new Midlife MOT website

A new online Midlife MOT has been launched to help older workers with financial planning, health guidance, and to assess what their skills mean for their careers and futures.

The free website encourages people to review their skills and help to break down barriers to the labour market, in turn delivering on the Government’s priority to grow the economy. It brings together trusted services, help such as a jobseeker toolkit and charity resources. It will allow people to identify job opportunities across the UK as well as better preparing them for later life and their retirement.

The website signposts to key organisations and charities, including the NHS, Mind, MoneyHelper, Citizens Advice, the Department for Work and Pension’s (DWP) find a job portal and Job Help campaign.

As part of this, MoneyHelper has created a financial tool which will provide a personalised report to help people understand what to prioritise to improve their financial position, from now through to retirement.

The Midlife MOT was originally launched in Jobcentres across England with work coaches working with claimants to encourage planning for later life and boosting their confidence. Following the initial success, the Government has looked at ways of reaching more people with the service and making it accessible for everyone – right across the UK. 

Helen from Bolton is someone who has recently benefitted from the Government’s Midlife MOT offer. She wanted a new challenge and recently found a job as a cleaner in a primary school after having received tailored support from her local Jobcentre.

This included taking part in a Midlife MOT session where Helen, who is in her sixties, improved her confidence levels by conducting a stocktake of her skills and understanding how valuable she would be to an employer. Her story shows that people are never too old to retrain and develop new skills.

Minister for Employment, Guy Opperman MP said:

“We are all living longer and planning for later life is essential but knowing where to start can be daunting. Our digital Midlife MOT is open to everyone and easy to access, and will give people the tools to make informed decisions – on their personal finances, their health and on their careers. I would encourage older people in particular to invest the time to see exactly what it can do for them.”

Andy Briggs, CEO of the Phoenix Group and Older Workers Champion for the Government added:

“The introduction of an enhanced digital MOT, that’s open to all, is welcome news and, with a focus on work, wealth and wellbeing, it will be an essential tool in helping people make the most of their longer lives. So much so, that Phoenix Group has piloted its own version of the midlife MOT which will be rolled out to colleagues in the coming months.  

“The desire to stay in meaningful work for longer is already important to many people. More experienced, older workers offer a wealth of knowledge but are often written-off or overlooked for no good reason. Age is no barrier to learning and I encourage businesses to invest for all, to enjoy the benefits of greater retention and more skilled employees.”

The digital Midlife MOT forms part of the Government’s wider package to help older workers find and move into work as well as helping those already in work understand what support is available. In the Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced that the DWP will be increasing the number of people who can access in person Midlife MOT support via their local Jobcentre, from 8,000 to 40,000 a year.

The Government’s digital offer will be continually reviewed to ensure it is as interactive and tailored as possible and people will soon be able to access content specific to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.