The elderly have the right to work if they want

With people living longer and physically able to continue working past the current age for retirement, a more flexible approach is needed by government and employers.

Yet a challenge to the right of employers to make people retire at 65 has been rejected by a European court adviser. And while the view is not a binding decision it may influence the judges ruling due to be made later this year.

Age Concern has been challenging UK law, which since 2006 has allowed employers to force workers to retire at 65. Not only does it discriminate on the grounds of age, it also leads to many poorer people being forced to live off their pension, which for some is not adequate.

Current laws are weighed in favour of employers. Although people can ask to work past the age of 65, and more than a million do, the decision rests with their employer.

The most recent statistics show that someone who is currently 65 can expect to live for another 17 years if they are male and 20 years if they are female. Projections show that life expectancies will increase by a further three years by 2020. This is not sustainable.

Not only should people be allowed to carry on working at 65, it should be their right to do so unless they are physically or mentally unable. The current arbitrary age of retirement is not linked to life expectancy and the time is approaching where the government will need to consider increasing the age at which people retire. Supporting Age Concern’s plans would help to start the process.