80% of Baby Boomers* say forced retirement is unacceptable
Heyday, the membership organisation, is taking the Government to court over the future of Mandatory Retirement Ages (MRA). The action is being supported by Age Concern. An application is being lodged in the High Court today, Monday 3 July, to seek a judicial review of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations (2006) which come into force on 1 October. ; In particular, Heyday is challenging the Government over employment rights for people over the age of 65.
Heyday launched in May to help people prepare for and make the most of modern retirement. ; It is in the process of conducting the biggest ever consultation exercise of people in their fifties and sixties on a range of issues including work and retirement. ; To date, over 60,000 people from the baby boomer generation have responded to a survey called Have Your Say. ; 80 per cent of those asked believe there should be no forced retirement, and 65 per cent plan to work past State Pension Age.
If permission is granted for a hearing it will mean the High Court will scrutinise the legality of the regulations which Heyday, backed by Age Concern, believes contravene a European Directive outlawing age discrimination and leaves people over 65 without the right to choose to continue working. ; Unless Mandatory Retirement Ages are scrapped, Heyday says that the directive cannot hope to stop older people who want or need to keep working being forced out of work in the UK. ; If a compulsory retirement age is abolished, UK employers will still have the right to dismiss employees on the grounds of performance and ability.
Commenting on the campaign, Neil Churchill of Heyday says:
“Forcing people to retire is denying people the right to work – a right which everyone should have, regardless of age. ; The Government has failed in its legislation around ageism in the workplace. ; Currently, workers have no rights to stay in employment past 65 and are being driven out of work. ; Taking the Government to court is not a step we are taking lightly. ; Heyday is not a pressure group, but we have to act and the time to act is now. ; We are determined to challenge the existence and legality of forced retirement. ; It’s what people approaching retirement want; it’s good for business, good for the economy and good for society.”
The Government has 21 days to submit a response to Heyday’s application to the High Court. ; If permission is granted for the case to proceed, a full oral hearing will take place, most likely in early autumn. ;
Heyday is asking anyone who wants to support them with the campaign to sign a petition via their web site – www.heyday.org.uk
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