Emma Soames Saga is supportive of government plans to get rid of the default retirement age - which means that workers will no longer be obliged to retire when they reach 65. But Emma makes the point that this moves immediately into the new challenge of finding what makes a good retirement.
"That, for many people, means moving it from a cliff-edge decision – you're in work or not - to one where people have options to go part-time, so retirement becomes a process of a stroll down to the beach rather than a jump off the cliff edge," said Emma, 60.
"Thousands will welcome the announced end of the default retirement age, a step Saga has long argued for. From October 1, 2011, workers will no longer be obliged to retire and will have the right to work on until they decide to retire.
"The way forward must be stepped retirement by negotiation. Assuming good health and the desire to work on, millions of people in their 60s will want to continue to work part-time," said Emma.
"Retirement will become a gradual process - a walk through the dunes rather than a jump off a cliff from full-time work.
"Our independently-conducted survey of a panel of 13,000 over-50s show a great enthusiasm for part-time work living on a mixture of pension and earnings in retirement."
This article was published on July 29, 2010.