Construction union UCATT are calling on the Government to rethink policies on increasing the retirement age, following new research.

The research published by Oxford University's Institute of Ageing and Club Vita, recommends the introduction of a flexible retirement age, due to huge differences in life expectancy depending on income, lifestyle and place of residence.

The Government is pushing ahead with plans to increase the retirement age to 68 and will equalise the retirement age for men and women at 66 by 2020.

-- Advertisement --

Alan Ritchie , General Secretary of UCATT, said: "The one size fits all policy on retirement age is patently unfair to workers in physically demanding manual jobs such as construction. Already most construction workers are forced to retire early due to injury or ill health. By increasing the retirement age, construction workers are being made to work until they drop or forced into poverty when they are too sick to continue to work."

Mr Ritchie, added: "The introduction of a flexible retirement age would help to ensure that all workers and not just the wealthy can enjoy a healthy, well deserved retirement."

(CD/GK)