Scottish pension age

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Call to investigate separate state pension age for Scotland

Prospect  has called for a study of the factors that might justify a separate state pension age for Scotland.



In a motion to the STUC Congress*, Prospect says that the UK Government’s plan to increase the state pension age will have a disproportionate impact on Scottish workers.

The motion instructs the STUC to analyse factors such as life expectancy, regional variations, socio-economic factors and labour market conditions to assess whether there is a case for setting a separate state pension age for Scotland.

Prospect also calls for the practicalities of such a move, as well as any other impacts, to be thoroughly investigated and a report published before next year’s STUC Congress.

Prospect National Secretary Anne Douglas said: “The principle behind the UK Government’s proposed review of the state pension age is that the proportion of adult life spent in receipt of state pension should stay constant over time.

The logical extension of that policy is that the proportion should also be consistent between the nations of the UK. Given that life expectancy is lower in Scotland the rest of the UK, this would imply that a lower state pension age is necessary for Scottish workers. Clearly the issues involved are very complex and that is why we have called for a thorough study of all the relevant factors so that everyone in Scotland can judge the case for themselves.”

*See motion 80: http://bit.ly/STUCagenda