Government to raise the state pension age | Winston Solicitors
Legal news

Government to raise the state pension age

Jonathan Winston Jonathan Winston
2 min read

A new government shake up of pensions could see people regularly working into their seventies.

The Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has given more details on government plans to scrap the default retirement age which currently sees companies able to get rid of staff once they have reached 65 years of age.

At the same time the government will also raise the state pension age for men from 65 to 66 from 2016, a decade before the previous Labour government was proposing to do so and it is also to consult on raising the retirement age even higher, bringing it more into line with life expectancy, meaning that by the second half of the century people could well be working into their seventies. Why men should find their state pension age raised before women is questionable and could be seen as sex discrimination in some circles.

Mr Duncan Smith also plans to give workers more generous state pensions through company schemes into which employees will be enrolled unless they opt out. The restored link between pensions and earnings will help those reliant on state pensions. He said: “If Britain is to have a stable, affordable pension system, people need to work longer, but we will reward their hard work with a decent state pension that will enable them to enjoy quality of life in their retirement.”

However the plans have already been attacked by some unions, who have accused the government of ‘class bias’. Bob Crow, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union said: “If you are a rich banker with a private pension you can sail off on your yacht at 55, but for working men and women retirement will be pushed further and further over the horizon in a step back to the days of Dickens. That is not sharing the pain, it is hitting the poorest hardest yet again.”

More Winston Solicitors news

Client feedback

Very politeand kept me up to date with everything that was going on,and will use again in the near future.
Andrew
Sam kept us fully informed, was always contactable and clearly knowledgable about all aspects of the Conveyancing process.
Anonymous
Extremely helpful outstanding service would highly recommend in the future
Shokat
Review for Wendy – Family Law Services at Winston’s Solicitors, LeedsI recently had the pleasure of working with Wendy from Winston’s Solicitors in Leeds on a family law matter, and I cannot recommend her highly enough. From our first consultation, Wendy was incredibly professional, empathetic, and thorough in her approach. She took the time to fully understand my situation, providing clear and concise advice at every step of the process.Throughout the entire case, Wendy was always available to answer any questions I had, and she made sure I felt supported and informed. Her knowledge of family law is exceptional, and I felt confident in her ability to handle my case. She was transparent about all costs, keeping me informed of any developments along the way.What truly stood out to me was her attention to detail and her ability to navigate what was a very emotionally charged situation with sensitivity and care. Wendy was not only a skilled professional but also genuinely understanding of the emotional impact of my case, which made a huge difference during a stressful time.Thanks to Wendy’s hard work and dedication, I was able to reach a favorable outcome, and I am incredibly grateful for her support. If you are looking for a compassionate and experienced family law solicitor, I would wholeheartedly recommend Wendy at Winston’s Solicitors.
Natalie
Very good service
Akbor
I am very thankful to Winston solicitors for helping me complete on my sale and purchase in just a couple of months. Communication was frequent, and I could always get hold of them when I needed to. The InTouch app was a brilliant feature for me to be able to track the sale.When the solicitor I was assigned went off unexpectedly, my case was still dealt with efficiently. Amanda and Joe were particularly good at keeping things moving, and keeping me in the loop, and I’m very thankful to these two for chasing and getting the sale through so quickly.I would recommend using Winston’s, and would use them again myself in the future.
Emma
Winston Solicitors - Outstanding Service – Highly Recommended!I cannot praise Winston Solicitors enough for their exceptional handling of my recent property sale and purchase. From start to finish, Leasa and Julie's professionalism, expertise, and attention to detail were nothing short of outstanding.They were consistently on top of every aspect of the process, providing timely updates, clear communication, and proactive advice at every stage. Their ability to anticipate potential issues and address them swiftly was truly impressive and made what could have been a stressful experience feel seamless and well-managed. More to the point I knew we were in good safe hands. Their dedication and commitment to ensuring everything progressed smoothly was evident throughout. They went above and beyond to meet deadlines, liaising effectively with all parties involved and providing me with complete confidence and peace of mind.If you are looking for a reliable, knowledgeable, and highly responsive legal team to handle your property transactions, I would not hesitate to recommend Leasa and her team at Winston Solicitors who gave me and absolutely first-class service!
Gary
Julie and Leasa helped me with the sale of our property. They did a wonderful job. They explained each step and were available for any questions. I would happily recommend them to anyone looking to sell their property
Mitchell
Contact Jonathan