Retirement age is when an employee chooses to retire. Most businesses don’t set a compulsory retirement age for their employees.

If an employee chooses to work longer they can’t be discriminated against.

However, some employers can set a compulsory retirement age if they can clearly justify it.

It’s an employee’s responsibility to discuss when and how to retire with their employer. This could include phasing retirement by working flexibly.

Members of occupational pension schemes need to discuss with their pension scheme managers what impact a change in working hours or income might have on the pension, whether the scheme supports phased retirement and working beyond the scheme’s normal pension age.

Employers may or may not be able to agree requests. If an employee is unhappy with their employer’s decision, they can challenge this at an employment tribunal.

State Pension age

Retirement age is not the same as State Pension age which can be between 61 and 68, depending when someone was born and if they’re male or female. Anyone can carry on working past State Pension age.