Harman unveils proposals
A LABOUR government would scrap compulsory retirement at 65, equality minister Harriet Harman signalled yesterday as she outlined plans to let Britain’s “wellderly” work into their 70s and 80s.
Currently, workers can be made redundant at 65 without a payoff even if they want to stay in employment, but Harman said the retirement age was “arbitrary” and that Labour was preparing a “major policy change”.
She said the government needed to do more to recognise the economic contribution that could be made by the “wellderly” – workers over 65 that are still in good health.
And the deputy Labour leader, who was yesterday named as one of the party’s general election co-ordinators, said she wanted to introduce legislation that would entitle the over-65s to work part-time or from home.