Retirement age: why do women retire earlier?

Rebelheart

A quick one. Just reading over on The Irish Times(http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/1006/breaking18.htm) that Britain's Conservative party is proposing that women, who can currently retire at 60, will retire at the same age as men, 65 (they then intend on raising the retirement age of both to 68). This proposal follows similar ones in Australia and across Europe (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25471039-601,00.html)

Similar ideas have been toyed with in Ireland for at least the past six years (http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/0925/pensions.html).

But what is the logic in women retiring five years earlier than men? It seems particularly strange as they generally live longer.

ei.sdraob

They can feck of if they think ill be slaving and paying huge taxes until were almost dead

Zulu

Is that the same here?
Very strange.

imokyrok

Zulu wrote: »

Is that the same here?
Very strange.

No men and women retire at the same age here. In fact contrary to popular belief you have to have passed your 66th birthday before you can claim the old age pension.

Boskowski

Rebelheart wrote: »

But what is the logic in women retiring five years earlier than men? It seems particularly strange as they generally live longer.

It adds handy to the claim that they're being paid less...:D

Darsad

My Wife always retires before me in the evening

Victor

Back when the old age pension was introduced, very few people reached the age of 65. People either died very young (under age 5 or in the 15-25 age group) or in their fifties resulting in an average life expectancy of 40-50.

I think old age pension should be done on a percentage basis. The oldest X% can get the pension. You can retire anytime you want, but you don't get the pension until then. Of course, exception can be made for those who are no longer suited to their job through age or disability and semi-retirement should be promoted as a means of teaching the young 'uns / not using retirement to kill people and reducing hte pension burden.

As to whether one takes number of years worked into account when calculating the pension, I don't know. It would be particularly unfair on women who were forced out of the work force upon marriage. I iamgine some balance could be found.

ardmacha

The British system is bizarre and profoundly unsustainable as women live longer. The Irish system is not the worst in the world, as some people here continuously claim.