Retiring in comfort and good health now seems the luxury of a lucky few | Letters

The comfortable retirement once pioneered in Britain is ending, with a significant drop in healthy life expectancy and widening pension inequalities, according to a new analysis [1]. The UK now ranks 20th among 21 high-income nations for healthy years lived. Healthy life expectancy in the UK fell by roughly two years over the past decade, dropping below 61 years for both men and women [1]. This decline has pushed Britain's ranking from 14th to 20th among peer nations, ahead of only the United States [1]. Pensioner poverty remains widespread in Britain and is worse than in France and Italy [1]. The gender pension gap is a critical factor, with women retiring with about 37% less private pension income than men [1]. Only 59% of women aged 22 to 59 are saving into a pension, compared to 66% of men [1]. Experts warn this gap will widen for Generation X workers, who largely lack defined benefit workplace pension schemes and rely on private savings [1]. 'The only way to mitigate a future of rising inequality and poverty for those in retirement is for employers to reinstate defined benefit workplace pension schemes with the support of government funds and tax relief,' argues Prof Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay [1]. In response to the crisis, some propose a radical alternative. Chris Phillipson suggests 'supporting the right to retirement at 60, supported by universal basic services along with provision of a citizen’s wage for those active in key areas such grandparenting, caring and community volunteering' [1].