Summary:
Last month the Government launched a consultation paper announcing its intention to end the national default retirement age from April 2011. This is the exemption from the Age Equality Regulations which allows employers to retire staff at the age of 65 onwards without facing discrimination claims. If the plans are adopted employers will not be able to rely on a compulsory retirement age unless it can be objectively justified. Transitional protection will be available for retirements notified prior to 1 April next year and which take effect before 1 October 2011.