Retirement

Until 6 April 2011, a statutory retirement procedure was in force. This allowed an employer to give notice of retirement to any employee who was between 12 and six months away from their 65th birthday. At the same time, employers had to inform employees of their right to request working beyond retirement age. The statutory retirement procedure has now been abolished, at the same time phasing out the default retirement age (DRA) of 65. The last possible date for a retirement under the statutory retirement procedure was 5 October 2012.

Employers are no longer allowed to force employees to retire at 65 (or any other age), unless there is a contractual retirement age in place that can be objectively justified as a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.