Despite the globalist orthodoxy that immigration can support an ageing population, the British government – which has been importing migrants on a massive scale – appears poised to increase the state pension age earlier than expected.
With immigration often claimed to be a driver of growth and the annual legal influx of migrants having easily cleared a record 1.1 million in the year to June 2021, one might have expected a bounty of additional wealth enabling the government to lower, not raise, the state retirement age.
In reality, however, it has been increased from 60 for women and 65 for men to 66 for all, with further rises to first 67, and then 68 already set to be phased in by 2046.
Now, however — and despite predicted average lifespans having dropped by two years recently — Prime Minister Liz Truss’s administration is reportedly looking at bringing forward that increase to the mid-2030s — perhaps a decade earlier than expected.
“You’re asking me to speculate about all kinds of decisions that haven’t yet been made,” said Prime Minister Truss when asked if the increase in the state retirement age might be brought forward.
“We are facing a very difficult international situation, a slowing global economy, so yes I will do what it takes to fix those issues,” she added ominously.
The state pension is currently under one of its regular reviews — a previous Government Actuary’s Department report had already warned younger Britons might not be entitled to a state pension until as late in life as age 69 — which is due to produce its findings next May.
“Any decision by the Government to make today’s 50-somethings wait longer for their State Pension would be setting up hundreds of thousands of ordinary men and women for a miserable and impoverished period in their run up to retirement – a regressive and deeply regrettable step,” commented Caroline Abrahams, director of Age UK, in comments quoted by LBC.
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