Unemployed people over the age of 50 will be compelled to look for work under pilot schemes due to be launched next spring.

The pilots are an extension of the New Deal for the over 25s and are part of the government’s plans to combat pensioner poverty.

Anyone between the age of 50 and 59 who has been on the dole for 18 months or more will have to attend job centres for interviews in the 11 selected areas.

The government hopes to encourage more people in their 50s to get back to work to prevent them slipping into poverty later in life.

Areas piloting the scheme include Bridgend, Oxfordshire, Leicester and Shropshire.

Work and pensions secretary Andrew Smith said: “There is no escaping that it will take time to tackle poverty and our approach will continue to evolve as we learn what works best. The changes in back to work help for the over 50s are a good example of this.”