The number of employees over 50 being made redundant has risen by 25% since the start of the recession - three times more than the increase for younger staff.

According to research from ICM commissioned by Age Concern, 90% of employees think it is more difficult for older members of staff to find a new job than their younger colleagues.

Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern, said: "Older workers are facing a double whammy of faster rises in unemployment levels than other age groups [as well as] forced retirement."