diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index f799c8c..800ff97 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 Type: Package
 Package: slfhelper
 Title: Useful functions for working with the Source Linkage Files
-Version: 0.10.4
+Version: 0.10.5
 Authors@R: c(
     person("Public Health Scotland", , , "phs.source@phs.scot", role = "cph"),
     person("James", "McMahon", , "james.mcmahon@phs.scot", role = c("aut"),
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 5804177..8471c8e 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+# slfhelper 0.10.5
+* Bug - fix age as an integer when reading multiple years
+
 # slfhelper 0.10.4
 * Bug - Fix build tests
 * New feature - Additional documentation
diff --git a/R/read_slf.R b/R/read_slf.R
index 622d9b8..ad9a167 100644
--- a/R/read_slf.R
+++ b/R/read_slf.R
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ read_slf <- function(
       # Check if recid/hscp is among the selected columns
       recid_present <- "recid" %in% selected_columns
       hscp_present <- "hscp2018" %in% selected_columns
+      age_present <- "age" %in% selected_columns
 
       # check if we need add extra recid/hscp to do filter
       # remember to remove recid/hscp later
@@ -109,6 +110,11 @@ read_slf <- function(
         slf_table <- slf_table %>% dplyr::select(-c("hscp2018"))
       }
 
+      if (age_present){
+        slf_table <- slf_table %>%
+          dplyr::mutate(age = as.integer(.data$age))
+      }
+
       return(slf_table)
     }
   )
@@ -184,10 +190,6 @@ read_slf_episode <- function(
     data <- data %>%
       dplyr::mutate(keytime2 = hms::as_hms(.data$keytime2))
   }
-  if ("age" %in% names(data)) {
-    data <- data %>%
-      dplyr::mutate(age = as.integer(age))
-  }
 
   return(data)
 }
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-multiple_years.R b/tests/testthat/test-multiple_years.R
index 842d37f..7d7a0a8 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-multiple_years.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-multiple_years.R
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ test_that("read multiple years works for individual file", {
 
   # Read in multiple years
   indiv <- read_slf_individual(c("1718", "1819"),
-    col_select = c("year", "anon_chi")
+    col_select = c("year", "anon_chi", "age")
   ) %>%
     dplyr::group_by(year) %>%
     dplyr::slice_sample(n = 50) %>%