Possibility of state pension age being raised to 68 would be a disaster for many people north of the border
More Scots than ever before won’t live to receive a pension if rises to the state pension age go ahead, older people’s charity Age Scotland has stated.
The charity made the warning ahead of a UK government independent review into the projected life expectancy of the population in future years that is due to be published in May 2017.
As things stand both men and women's state pension age will rise to 66 from 2020 then 67 by 2028 and 68 by 2046, however this could be brought forward depending on the findings of the report by former Confederation of British Industry director general John Cridland.
Age Scotland’s reacted on the back of an Age UK report which concluded that those who are in physically demanding jobs which they will struggle to sustain in to later life; or those who scale down their hours or give up work in midlife because of ill health or to care for loved ones are growing increasingly anxious about how they’ll manage to survive until they are old enough to draw a state pension – a problem that will get worse if the government decides to raise the age for withdrawel further.
A rising State Pension age will have a disproportionate effect in Scotland
“A rising state pension age will have a disproportionate effect in Scotland, where life expectancy remains around two years lower than the rest of the UK,” Age Scotland chief executive Brian Sloan said.
“In some areas of Scotland it barely exceeds 67 for men, and some of our older people might receive little or no state pension if the qualifying age is raised to 68.
“The state pension age review must consider differential impacts not only due to physically demanding occupations and caring responsibilities, but also variations in health around the UK.”
In its ‘Working later, waiting longer’ report Age UK calls for the government to take in the financial needs of those likely to be most affected by raising the state pension age when making any future changes and adds a system of state pension and benefits that provide adequate support for those who cannot work as well as recognising the variations in life expectancy and health between different groups and across the country.
Caroline Abrahams, Age UK’s charity director, said: “We should all be able to look forward to a decent retirement but the sad truth is that blanket rises in the state pension age, without any extra protection for disadvantaged groups, could take this out of some people’s reach.
“Men and women who have worked hard all their lives in tough manual jobs, or who have scaled down their hours or left work in midlife to care for an ageing parent are among those most likely to lose out, which seems incredibly unfair.
“When we spoke to people in this position for our report they said they hoped for at least a few years of rest in retirement, to pursue hobbies or spend time with their grandchildren, and these modest ambitions seem the least that anyone should be entitled to expect today.
“John Cridland’s report will be crucial in helping the government reach the right conclusions and we sincerely hope that he will look closely at the position of those who simply cannot work for longer and take fully into account the growing expectations on people to help care for their parents as they age.”
