tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post1198448825619096380..comments2024-01-23T16:53:02.428+00:00Comments on Mark Thompson: The pension age has to riseMark Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00744387583593537268noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-49752939837554154112010-06-24T23:59:38.919+01:002010-06-24T23:59:38.919+01:00The key figure isn't average life expectancy (...The key figure isn't average life expectancy (for those who reach retirement) but average healthy life expectancy. If life expectancy is grown partly by increasing the length of time one is housebound at the end of one's life then we can hardly expect the retirement age to track life expectancy.<br />As we increase the retirement age, we may start seeing incapacity benefit becoming a sort of pre-pension for those not able to work up to the average healthy life expectancy, because of failing health or being in physically demanding jobs.Steve Rnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-35322884807094327542010-06-24T20:36:18.175+01:002010-06-24T20:36:18.175+01:00Mark - the point about average age and pension age...Mark - the point about average age and pension age is slightly wrong. The important figure is not average age of death, but average life expectancy for those who reach retirement age (whatever that might be). That will result in more years to cover in retirement.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10552558606092042658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-74679706388148088392010-06-24T11:47:10.708+01:002010-06-24T11:47:10.708+01:00I believe that if the pension age is looked at the...I believe that if the pension age is looked at their should be some flexibility.<br /><br />Workers who do manual jobs often don't make the existing retirement age of 65 because of the nature of their work.<br /><br />When i was a delivery postman as a young man i used to wonder how my<br />older colleagues managed what was a very physical job.<br /><br />Many struggled on because they had to but it needs to be a real consideration in this review.<br /><br />On the question of public sector pensions again the Royal Mail expirience is informative.<br /><br />The final salary pension scheme was closed in 2008 and the age <br />you could take your pension raised<br />from 60 t0 65 in 2010.<br /><br />Expect something similar in the rest of the public sector.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com