30/11/2005

Pension age could rise to 68

The state pension age could increase to 68, under new proposals put forward in the government’s review of pensions.

The review, led by Lord Turner, recommended a gradual rise in the state pension qualifying age to 68 by 2050, as well as a rise in payments linked to earnings, rather than prices.

A new national pension saving scheme was also proposed, in which individuals would contribute 4% of after-tax earnings, their employers 3% and the government 1% through tax relief or credit.

The review also recommended that future entitlement to the basic state pension should be based on residency, not contributions, which would make the scheme fairer, particularly for women.

Lord Turner said: “It is wrong to talk about a crisis of pensioner income today, but the problems in the UK’s pension system will grow increasingly worse unless a new pensions settlement for the 21st century is now debated, agreed and put in place.

“That settlement needs to deal with the challenge of the changing demographics. People are living longer: together with the retirement of the baby boom generation this will put the pensions system under significant strain. People are not saving enough for retirement, the state and employers are planning to play a decreasing role in pension provision for the average earner, and the current system will deliver increasingly inadequate and unequal pensions. There are no easy answers. But an integrated set of policies can ensure that increasing life expectancy becomes not a problem but an opportunity for everyone."

(KMcA/GB)


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