Just 18% of women aged 60 to 65 have a job, as do 38% of men, the national statistics office CBS said on Wednesday.

The figures come as the government prepares to decide how to increase the state retirement age from 65 to 67 in an effort to cut spending on pensions.
Nevertheless, more women are working than they did 12 years ago, the CBS figures show. In 1996, just 5% of women aged 60 to 65 were in work. And the number of women aged 50 to 55 with a job has gone up to 66%, compared with 40% 12 years ago.