Default Retirement Age should be scrapped - Afzal Anwar Lib Dem PPC for Pendle

Published on Thu 8th Oct 2009

Commenting on a High Court ruling that it is legal for UK employers to force workers to retire at the age of 65, Afzal Anwar said, "It cannot be right that it is still perfectly legal to sack workers simply because of their age."

Age UK said sackings could leave such workers in financial difficulty as many had opted to work longer to secure a decent retirement in the face of recession and a drop in returns on savings and investments.

Afzal added, "What should matter is your ability to do the job, not the date on your birth certificate. The Liberal Democrats will push the Government to amend the Equality Bill to change this outrageous situation once and for all. It is clear that forcing people to retire at 65 is unsustainable and needs reviewing"

"At a time of economic strife, many older people in places like Pendle either want or need to work past 65. It is totally unacceptable that they can be denied this right simply on the basis of their age. The sooner the default retirement age is scrapped, the better."