Manufacturers sympathetic to ‘staying on’

The survey of around 500 manufacturing sector employers showed that more than two-thirds (68%) support the retention of the default retirement age of 65, as they did in a similar survey five years ago. In addition, the survey showed that most requests (84%) by employees to postpone their retirement had been accepted by employers. Commenting on the findings, EEF head of employment policy David Yeandle said: "Manufacturers clearly want to retain a default retirement age that is linked to state pension age. Experience shows that the right for employees to request to continue working after 65 is enabling employers and employees to find mutually acceptable outcomes. This should be taken into account by the Government in its evidence-based review of the default retirement age of 65." "Manufacturers believe that having a default retirement age enables them to make future plans for their workforce, particularly in relation to succession planning, with a greater degree of certainty." The survey also showed: • Just under half (47%) of employees who had reached age 65 in the last 12 months had asked to postpone their retirement and continue working • The majority of requests to continue working after age 65 that were accepted by employers resulted in employees continuing in the same job on either a full-time or part-time basis • In only a few cases and generally in large companies, these requests resulted in employees working in a different job