The impact of work on cognition and physical disability: Evidence from English women

James Banks, Jonathan Cribb, Carl Emmerson and David Sturrock

Labour Economics, 2025, vol. 94, issue C

Abstract: In this paper we show that remaining in work has significant positive causal effects on the average cognition and physical mobility of older women in England. We analyse a reform-induced increase in employment of 60–63-year-old women between 2010 and 2017 in England and show that working longer substantially boosts performance on two cognitive tests, particularly for single women. We also find large improvements in measures of physical disability: 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 physical exercise.

Keywords: Health; Cognition; Disability; Retirement; Social security (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H55 I12 J26 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:labeco:v:94:y:2025:i:c:s0927537125000545

DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2025.102730

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