In response to the Interim Report, we welcome the analysis set out and are pleased it reflects many of the issues we set out in our briefing to the Review.
This paper sets out our response to the Independent Review of the State Pension Age: Interim Report. We welcome the analysis set out in the Interim Report and are pleased it reflects many of the issues we set out in our briefing to the Review.
The Interim Report sets out an excellent set of questions. Rather than answer specific questions, particularly where we feel other organisations are better placed to do so, we build on our earlier analysis to set out four key areas which we hope the final report will address in recommendations to the Secretary of State:
- Taking action to support people to work for longer and making clear the link between an increase in State Pension Age and the Government’s Fuller Working Lives strategy
- Communicating the purpose of the State Pension to the population and providing holistic information and guidance to support later life planning
- Maintaining the value of the State Pension to ensure it provides a minimum income to protect people from poverty in later life and consider making it truly universal
- Consider allowing for early access for those with poor long-term health or disability to mitigate any increase in state pension age.
