The number of people working beyond retirement age has doubled in the last 10 years to 236,000, according to research by ABN Amro.

The increase comes on top of the later pension age, which rose to 67 at the start of this year. Altogether 18% of people in the Netherlands aged 65 to 74 are still in some form of paid employment.

ABN Amro economist Mario Bersem said the trend was surprising, adding that most people were working beyond retirement by choice rather than because of financial need.

“People who are willing and able carry on working, either for their old employer as a freelancer or through an employment agency.”

The bank said in a report that employers could offset the skills shortage by creating work for older people who are still fit to work and talk to their older workers about their plans when they reach retirement age.