Default 65 pension age to be reviewed by Government

The UK government is to consider removing the default retirement age of 65 which would allow millions of British nationals to work for longer.

Angela Eagle the Minister for pensions has announced that a review into the retirement age will be brought forward by a year to 2011 in response to the “changing demographic and economic circumstances.”

“It is time to look again at this. Some people prefer to take early retirement, others prefer to keep working,” said Ms Eagle.

“We want to give older people flexible retirement options.”

“As Britain’s demographics change, it is sensible that we have the debate on what works for business and individuals. The retirement laws need to reflect modern social and economic circumstances,” she said.

The UK is at a “demographic tipping point” Ms Eagle added, as we are head towards having more pensioners than school children.

The general secretary of the Trades Union Congress Brendan Barber welcomed the move.

“It cannot be right that an employer can sack someone simply for being too old,” he said.

“Employees should have choice - neither forced by employers to give up work, nor forced by inadequate pensions into working longer than they should.”

Mr Barber added a key challenge was to now develop the right kind of jobs, support and training for older workers.

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