The UK is not alone in wondering how best to deal with a ticking demographic time bomb. Countries throughout the western world are seeing fewer babies born and more people living longer.
A shrinking workforce means fewer people paying the taxes that fund pensions and other benefits. The number of people of pensionable age is projected to reach over 15.2 million by 2045, a 28 per cent increase on the level in 2020.
The pension age in the UK has already been raised to 66. Further increases in the state pension age are already planned, starting with an increase to age 67 between 2026 and 2028.
Now it’s reported the age will be raised to 68 by the end of the next decade, instead of in the 2040s. The UK Government can’t simply go on raising the pension age indefinitely.
Its political choices have already contributed to a shrinking workforce. Brexit has discouraged many ambitious and talented workers from making the UK their home.
Would you support a hike in the state pension age? Share your views in the comments.
The situation has been made worse here by the number of people who have exited the labour force long before retirement age. A report by the UK Parliament last year found that employment levels remained 350,000 below what they had been in March 2020.
Some of those people will have been on the verge of retirement when lockdown hit but many others will not. The answer to an ageing population can’t be removing benefits from more and more people. It’s not fair on workers or anyone else.
Lifeline at risk
Charities and voluntary organisations provide lifeline services to people in need. One of these groups is Rape Crisis Scotland, which is there for survivors who often need access to one-to-one help.
Over the years RCS has helped countless women recover from the trauma of sexual assault and its work has been rightly lauded. But this charity finds itself in a precarious position after Scottish Government funding came to an end.
We reported last year that RSC could have to lay off staff as a result of underfunding. Now we reveal that one of the centres, in Edinburgh, has closed its waiting list.
Women in other parts of Scotland are facing waits of 12 months for services. The Scottish Government must urgently intervene and ensure RCS has the resources it needs.
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