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Age UK comment on the announcement that the Default Retirement Age will be abolished.
Today's announcement that the Default Retirement Age will be abolished represents a huge victory for older workers.
Today's announcement marks a historic moment for older people. The government's decision to phase out the Default Retirement Age (DRA) from April 2011 represents a significant triumph for the hundreds of thousands of employees who are currently at risk of being forced to retire simply because of their age.
Having led a four year campaign against this unjust law, Age UK is absolutely delighted that the government has finally set a clear date for its abolition. The removal of the DRA will provide older workers with enhanced job security and enable them to save for longer for their retirement. Given that last year around 100,000 people aged 65 – 70 were forced to retire, the impact of this decision must not be under-estimated. It represents a vital step towards tackling age discrimination within the workplace.
This abolition of the DRA, however, does not only represent a victory for older workers, but for all of society.
As the charity's director, Michelle Mitchell, explains:
"Everybody stands to win from scrapping forced retirement. People over 65 will have full employment rights for the first time. The economy will benefit from older workers' precious skills and experience and their increased buying power. Public finances will receive a boost from more people paying taxes for longer."
Ageism is a deep-rooted problem in our society. Whilst today's announcement does not mark the end of this form of discrimination, it represents a crucial step and the Coalition must be congratulated for their role in enhancing fairness within the workplace and improving the position of the older worker.
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