Topics

Retirement

Zuraida CurtisEditor's message: Since the abolition of the default retirement age, most employees are free to retire when they choose. Where a compulsory retirement age is necessary, you must be able to demonstrate that your organisation’s retirement age is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.

With an ageing workforce in the UK, employers may be faced with more employees continuing to work for financial reasons. However, you need to balance valuing experience and maintaining productivity against employees becoming a financial burden and blocking opportunities for younger staff.

Some employers assist the transition to retirement by offering flexible hours and increasing wellbeing benefits. However, you should avoid making stereotypical assumptions about older workers’ abilities, performance or future intention to reduce their hours.

Zuraida Curtis, senior legal editor, employment law and compliance

New and updated

  • Date:
    11 May 2023
    Type:
    Podcasts and webinars

    Podcast: Age discrimination - tips, traps and Tribunal cases

    Age discrimination can be a tricky area for employers. In this edition of the podcast, Susie Munro, Senior Legal Editor at XpertHR, leads us on a tour of recent cases that offer examples of how things can go wrong if they are mishandled and provides some tips on avoiding typical age-related traps.

  • Date:
    26 August 2022
    Type:
    Employment law cases

    Age discrimination: Employment tribunal round-up

    We look at three employment tribunal cases in which employers were held to have discriminated against employees because their age was a factor in their dismissal.

  • Type:
    Policies and procedures

    Retirement policy (compulsory retirement age)

    A model policy to set out your organisation's approach to dealing with retirement where a compulsory retirement age applies to all employees (or certain groups of employees).

  • Date:
    25 January 2022
    Type:
    Podcasts and webinars

    Podcast: Key 2022 employment cases

    We highlight key cases due to be decided in 2022 and discuss their impact on HR. These include cases on: vicarious liability, holiday pay, agency workers, compulsory retirement ages, and coronavirus-related health and safety cases. We will also be reflecting on the key decisions from last year and look forward to the case law trends likely to emerge this year.

  • Type:
    Contract clauses

    Retirement contract clause

    A model clause in contracts of employment where the employer intends the employee to be subject to a compulsory retirement age.

  • Date:
    6 June 2019
    Type:
    Employment law cases

    Age discrimination: Oxford University justifies compulsory retirement age for academics

    In Pitcher v Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Oxford and another, an employment tribunal held that Oxford University's "employer-justified retirement age" for academics is a proportionate means of achieving its legitimate aims.

  • Type:
    Policies and procedures

    Retirement policy (no compulsory retirement age)

    A model retirement policy to set out your organisation's approach to dealing with retirement where there is no compulsory retirement age.

  • Type:
    Letters and forms

    Form for employee to give notice to retire

    A model form for an employee to give notice to retire.

  • Type:
    Letters and forms

    Letter inviting employee to meeting to discuss retirement arrangements

    A model letter inviting an employee who has given notice to retire to a meeting to discuss the arrangements for their retirement.

  • Type:
    Letters and forms

    Letter inviting employee to meeting to discuss forthcoming retirement

    A model letter inviting an employee who has indicated their plan to retire to a meeting shortly before retirement.

About this topic

HR and legal information and guidance relating to retirement.

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