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Delaying retirement has significant positive effects on the average cognition and physical mobility of women in England, at least in the short run. Exploiting the increase in employment of 60-63 year old women resulting from the increase in the female State Pension Age, we show that working substantially boosts performance on two cognitive tests, particularly for singles. We also find large improvements in measures of physical disability as a result of working: substantial increases in walking speed, and lower reports of mobility problems. However, for women in sedentary occupations, work reduces walking speed, due to lower levels of exercise.
Authors
CPP Co-Director
James is Senior Research Fellow and Professor of Economics at Manchester, working on broad issues in the economics of retirement, savings and health.
Deputy Director
Carl, a Deputy Director, is an editor of the IFS Green Budget, is expert on the UK pension system and sits on the Social Security Advisory Committee.
Associate Director
Jonathan is an Associate Director and Head of Retirement, Savings and Ageing sector, focusing on pensions, savings and later-life economic activity.
Senior Research Economist
David’s research covers household wealth, intergenerational transfers, social mobility, pensions taxation, and health and work at older ages.
Working Paper details
- DOI
- 10.1920/wp.ifs.2019.1319
- Publisher
- The IFS
Suggested citation
Banks, J et al. (2019). The impact of work on cognition and physical disability: Evidence from English women. London: The IFS. Available at: https://ifs.org.uk/publications/impact-work-cognition-and-physical-disability-evidence-english-women (accessed: 2 May 2024).
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