Should retirement age be raised to 70?

[GreenPiggy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3905073.stm

Any thoughts?
My personal view is that by the time i reach 65 there will be no state pension at all so I'm just going to sort mine out myself.
Personally think it's inevitable the age will rise because of higher life expectancy.

[Blub2k]

The pensions system will collapse anyway I think but raising the age to 70 may help.

[ACiD303]

I dont think it should be raised personally . . . I see alot of elder people who have been working hard and stressed for many years and in quite a few cases I think they should retire early or their job will be the end of them.

Bear in mind the UK is one of the hardest working countries (well, we work more hours on average) than most other neighouring countries or the continent.

Ive never given any thought to the pension issue, but I can barely plan this week nevermind an age I may or may not live to.

As for a rise in life expectancy, I wouldnt be so sure since we are fast becoming/already are a generation of lazy spuds, improper diets and unhealthy lifestyles. . .

[Moonshade]

Hms, I dunno really I think I agree with acid303, though I think that if you wanna keep on working the work shouldn't like re-place you for someone new. I've seen that happend I guess I can understand it a bit though..I mean sure a company would like new fresh workers..but if you've been working at the same place for like 30 years (or more) and still capable to manage it..there shouldn't be conderations about re-placing you.

I mean it can be good to have someone there that has been working long and is used to different things. For ex. when it comes to techers in my school, I must say I like them who are a bit older, cos they now the whole system..and they're grading are way much better than the new ones I have.

Cos the new ones keeps coming up with new teories..that aren't good at all I'm getting all crazy..suddenly they've changed they way of grading you..etc..

[BUFF]

Only after I've hit 65 & retired

[0iD]

I think there should be no set age so you can work as long as you want.

[GreenPiggy]

I think there should be no set age so you can work as long as you want.

Thats the current situation though. There is no mandatory retirement age any more.

[Grey M@a]

I must agree with Oid, why should you be out of work when you hit the age of 65 or 70, you see older generations fit as a fiddle into their 90's. The retirement age I think should be used as a guideline, if you feel you can continue and wish to do so then why not stay on at work if that's what you would want. The problem is, and we all know it, that by the time we reach the ages of pensions we ain't gonna have one, so either you carry on working to survive or you start a private pension now.

[G4Z]

You know I just realised that I will probably be dead before I retire... Just cannot see myself living to 70 (and if I am honest I dont particularly want to get that old). I wouldnt be surprised to see life expectancy plummet soon due to the poor living habiits of most people in this country (myself included).

[RVF500]

Makes me laugh that the government keep banging on about pensions and that we should all buy into private schemes. When they have shown that if they want a few quid they just raid the funds and wipe out vast amounts of interest that your money (already taxed in a plethora of ways) has gained. By setting level of expectation now that we will work til we drop they are simply smoothing the way for future policy.

[[GSV]Trig]

Its not like the government care about you when you retire anyways, they just want you to work longer so they can tax you more...

[G4Z]

well, lets face it nobody in government actually needs to worry about when they retire as their pensions are sorted and Im sure they all have savings and investments. They have no concept for what it is to not earn a lot of cash.

[Rave]

The 'retirement age' (currently 65) is when you can start to claim a state pension. In most jobs you can carry on working if you're fit enough and you want to. Similarly if you're rich enough you can retire earlier than 65. I do think the retirement age needs to be raised, when they first made it 65 that was about the average life expectancy I believe! Obviously working until you drop isn't a very fair system, but expecting to be supported for 15 or more years on the back of 45-50 years taxpaying isn't that realistic either IMO. What the government should do is schedul a a number of raises over the next 20 years, going say 1 year at a time every four years. That way the people who just miss the cut off date won't feel so aggrieved.

Have they raised the retirement age for women to 65 now? Having it 5 years younger than for men was (is?) utterly daft.

Rich :¬)