press release
Elderly lose High Court retirement age challenge
25 September 2009
The High Court has today ruled that the UK’s retirement age of 65
can be justified.
The case had been brought by Age Concern and
Help the Aged, which argued that the compulsory retirement age goes
against EU regulations.
Edward Benson, Head of Employment Law at Browne Jacobson, said
:
“This will be a blow to the hundreds of employees whose age
discrimination claims were on hold pending this decision.
“Despite the High Court ruling, employers need to start thinking
about how they would manage their workforces without a default
retirement age or as is more likely a higher default retirement age
of 66 or 67.
“The Government is planning to review the retirement age next
year and there is every possibility that there will be changes.
“This could possibly have a significant impact on succession
planning and promotion prospects for younger employees, and may
lead employers to be less tolerant of performance issues relating
to those nearing retirement age.”