Retirement
Editor'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, employment law editor
New and updated
About this topic
HR and legal information and guidance relating to retirement.
Retirement: key resources
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Employment law manual: Retirement
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Retirement policy (no compulsory retirement age)
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How to work without a compulsory retirement age
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Tasks: Discuss retirement plans with an employee
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Line manager briefings: Retirement
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Can employers operate a compulsory retirement age?
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If an employer does not retain a compulsory retirement age, can it retire employees if this is justified on a case-by-case basis?
