The debate about about whether it is right have a fixed retirement age, under laws which ban discrimination at work on grounds of age, continues. The European Court of Justice has decreed that the its member states can specify an age at which employers could force their staff to retire provided they are doing so in the interests of a social policy objective relating the employment or the labour market -thus lobbing it nicely back into the British Government’s court. However, the Court has warned the Government that it has the "burden of establishing to a high standard of proof the legitimacy of the aim relied on as a justification".

This ruling came within days of two petitions in the UK, involving high profile professions, for people being allowed to work beyond their fixed retirement age.
The first involved two judges who took the Ministry of Justice to an employment tribunal for forcing them to retire at 70. The case for one of these judges was based on the fact that he had unusual skills and background knowledge of a very specific area which he said was of benefit to many apllicants.

Then Sir John Scarlett, head of MI6, the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service, said that his staff should be allowed to work longer than others in the civil service because MI6 needs their experience and valuable expertise.

The whole debacle now goes back to the High Court in London where the Government will have to prove the legitimacy- to a ‘high standard’ as stipulated by the European Court – of retaining the current fixed retirement age.

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With the publication of the independent reasearch report Living Britain, which examined the aspirations of full term and early retired people, we have confirmation that this group of experienced and reliable people intend to go on working in some capacity after they retire.

One of the key issues highlighted by this report is the inherent experience, common sense and reliablility of older people looking for work.

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According to independent research by The Future Laboratory, people who have retired at full term or early are increasingly likely to continue working in some capacity.

Martin Raymond, Director said "In business, experience is a definite advantage. While younger workers are liable to make rash decisions in difficult periods, older workers have the benefit of experience to guide them to smoother waters.

Older people who have retired bring with them an equilibrium and maturity. They also bring with them reliability and are less likely to be rash about short term decisions."

So why aren't employers more pro active in providing jobs for over 50's and jobs for retired people?

More than 6 million people over 50 are in fear of retirement believing that they face an impoverished retirement according to a recent article in the Daily Mail.

As they head towards retirement the biggest worries for the over 50s are rapidly rising utility bills – gas, electricity and water costs have risen by an average 52% since 2003 -and the threat of a recession. The credit crunch, which has appeared over the past few months, and shows no signs of slowing, has added fuel to their concerns.

The research has apparently identified a perceived income gap by the over 50s looking towards their retirement – they say that they will need £20, 100 a year to live on in retirement but have calculated that their pensions and savings will only give them £16, 900.
One of the reasons cited by many (19%) for not saving more towards their retirement is that their children and grandchildren are more financially dependent nowadays.

The source of these depressing facts, LV= (formerly Liverpool Victoria) who commissioned the research, have labelled them ‘Freds’ – Face Retirement Earnings Doubts.

A big worry for many was unemployment with nearly 20% expressing concern about being made redundant or losing their job for some other reason at an age, over 50, when they feel they will struggle to find a new job.

SkilledPeople.com, the online recruitment site specialising in finding jobs for the over 50s, could be their key source to finding another employment position.