Less than 10% of employers are keen to take on staff aged over 55 while only 12% try to keep older workers until they reach the age of 65, according to research by the demographics institute NIDI.

Only 20% of Dutch people between the ages 60 and 65 work, which is low in European terms. ‘This has to change,’ said economic affairs miniser Maria van der Hoeven. ‘It must become normal again to work until you are 65.’