Retirement and the law
The Age Regulations (which are now found in the Equality Act 2010) created a set of rules about retirement ages and the retirement process including the introduction of a 'default retirement age' of 65 and the concept of a "fair retirement procedure". These rules were abolished with effect from 6 April 201, meaning there is now no default retirement age of 65. Employers can no longer use the default retirement age to compulsorily retire employees. However in certain cases the old law still applies: retirements that are already in train can continue through to completion provided that a notification of retirement was issued by the employer before 6 April 2011 and the date of retirement falls before 5 April 2012. In some cases, an extension of six months can be agreed if an employee uses the ‘right to request' procedure. The latest possible retirement date that can be set using the default retirement age procedure in this way is 5 October 2012.
The TAEN Guide on Retirement provides information on the old law and the new law relating to retirement.
Working on and the right to retire
People still have a right to retire when they want to. The legislation is not about forcing them to work longer. It is about choice.
Disclaimer
This site is for help and information only. It is not meant as an authoritative guide. It is not meant as an authoritative statement of the law, and future changes in the law and other programmes and initiatives could make it less accurate at times. TAEN, the Department for Work and Pensions and the European Social Fund take no responsibility for your use of the information. You should always take professional advice on any specific legal or financial matter.
