Former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe has warned that raising the UK state pension age to 70 is "almost inevitable" following Denmark's decision to implement the same change.
Speaking on GB News, Widdecombe acknowledged that while people don't want to work until they're 70, demographic and financial pressures make such a move unavoidable in the future.
Her comments come after the Danish parliament voted to increase their retirement age to 70 by 2040, which will be the highest in Europe.
Denmark's parliament passed the controversial law with 81 votes in favour and 21 against. The retirement age in Denmark is tied to life expectancy and is revised every five years.
Ann Widdecombe has explained why the rise is 'inevitable'
GB NEWS
Under the Danish system, the retirement age will rise from the current 67 to 68 in 2030, then to 69 in 2035, and finally to 70 in 2040. The change will affect anyone born after 31 December 1970.
The move has sparked anger among Danish workers, particularly those in physically demanding jobs.
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Older Britons are worried about the future of the state pension triple lock PAWiddecombe pointed to dramatic increases in life expectancy as the key factor driving pension age changes. "In 1950, women's average longevity was 69 years which meant the state was paying on average for nine years of retirement," she told GB News. "It's now 83."
This significant extension of retirement years has created sustainability challenges for pension systems. Widdecombe suggested the previous Conservative government had begun addressing the issue by "moving very slowly towards abolishing national insurance," which funds the state pension.
The UK state pension age currently stands at 66 for both men and women.
It is scheduled to increase gradually to 67 between 2026 and 2028 for those born on or after 6 April 1960, and then to 68 between 2044 and 2046 for those born on or after 5 April 1977.
Ann Widdecombe joined Stephen Dixon and Anne Diamond on GB News
GB NEWS
Jason Hollands, managing director of wealth management firm Evelyn Partners, believes it is "almost inevitable" that the increase to 68 will be brought forward from the mid-2040s due to longer life expectancy and demographic pressures.
Widdecombe warned that demographic changes will intensify pension sustainability challenges in the future. "If they do actually find a cure for Alzheimer's, the number of people living in the old age bracket will absolutely rocket," she said.
She emphasised that the pension problem "is going to get worse, it's not going to get better," making an eventual rise to 70 inevitable.
While acknowledging there are limits to working age increases, she also suggested that getting more people into work could help address the issue, saying: "There are plenty of people in this country who could work who don't work."
