Abstract
This report was prepared for the Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS) to assist FaCS’ assessment of policy options to encourage employment and self-sufficiency among people aged 50 or more. Focusing on the transition onto the age pension, the primary intention of the analysis was the identification of the characteristics of individuals whose reliance on income support commenced well before the official retirement age. The analysis relied entirely on the FaCS Longitudinal Administrative Data Set (LDS), covering the four years between June 1995 and June 1999.