Pensions Bill

Written evidence from Ian Pottle (PB 67)

I am writing about my concerns over the Pensions Bill, which I understand has received its second reading in the House of Commons on 17 June.

The Pensions Bill includes clauses which will speed up the increase of the state pension age to 67 and introduce a review system which will lead to further increases in state pension age.

The UK state pension age will rise to 68 by 2050, making it one of the highest in the OECD. By 2050 the UK state pension age will have risen further than the state pension age in the USA, Canada, Australia and most of Europe.

While life expectancy has risen, health inequalities in the UK mean that improvements aren’t distributed evenly. People on lower incomes and in deprived areas of the UK have lower life expectancies and lower healthy life expectancies.

There is no justification for further increases or speeding up the increases in the state pension age in the UK. I urge you to oppose the increase to the state pension age and the automatic review mechanism in the Pensions Bill, and would be grateful if you’d let me know your stance on this important issue.

July 2013