Before any rash (hasty, incautious) decisions are made on increasing retirement ages (Be ready to work into your 70s,2 March) I urge people to glimpse at the evidence of the national review of health inequalities by Michael Marmot and his excellent colleagues. In clear, stark slides this shows the evidence of how and why less advantaged people will not be well enough to work even to current retirement ages, and let alone longer,without meaningful shifts in their wellbeing.
Couple that with growing international evidence that, in some countries including the UK, or life expectancy gains may be reaching a plateau for most people given higher rates of chronic diseases,we own strong indications of the individual and societal risks of putting the pension cart before the wellbeing horse. There are far superior alternatives: invest early in health promotion and disease prevention before unsustainable sickness treatments, and tackle the real social, and economic and environmental factors that cause such ill health. People of all ages should demand no less from those who determine their futures.
Clive Needle
Rowhedge,EssexContinue reading...
Source: theguardian.com