Editorial: The Guardian

• Only one in eleven men born today are expected to reach retirement age in good health.
• An increase in the state's pension age to 68 is being considered.
• The underlying issue isn't people living longer, but them living longer in poor health.
• Just 9% of men and 16% of women born today can expect to reach state retirement age in good health.
• Poverty not only reduces life expectancy, but also longer periods living with disability or long-term condition.
• Raising the retirement age means an additional year on working-age benefits, which are lesser than the state pension.
• Since the pandemic began, there has been a rise in people not seeking work due to health issues.

Conclusion: A system rethink is needed with regard to employment conditions, pay and dignity, not just blindly raising the age limit. Preventing human life from going to waste on such a scale should be a national mission, there should be plans to increase healthy life expectancy and reduce poverty.

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