The Government has rejected calls to lower the State Pension age after a petition argued that allowing people to retire earlier would free up jobs for younger workers.
The campaign, created by Helen Grice, has attracted 16,749 signatures and calls for the State Pension age to be reduced so more young people can get a foothold in the jobs market.
But in its response, published on October 12, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said: “The Government has no plans to lower the State Pension age.”
The petition argues that making people work for longer means there are fewer jobs available for younger adults who are struggling to find employment.
It says lowering the State Pension age could encourage older workers to retire, giving employers the opportunity to recruit younger staff while allowing people who have worked throughout their lives to enjoy their retirement.
However, ministers have defended the current approach, pointing to rising life expectancy and the financial challenges of supporting an ageing population.
The Government said: “We are fortunate today that more people are reaching old age: life expectancy has risen rapidly over the past century, driven by breakthroughs in medical treatments and generally healthier lifestyles.”
It added that men aged 66 in the UK in 2026 could expect to live, on average, another 19.3 years, while women of the same age could expect a further 21.9 years.
The DWP said State Pension age policy must reflect the fact that people are living longer, with some increases necessary to maintain fairness between generations, protect public finances and ensure the State Pension remains sustainable.
State Pension age review underway
The response comes as the Government's Third State Pension age Review gets underway. The review will consider what State Pension age is appropriate for future decades, weighing up a range of evidence, including an independent report from Dr Suzy Morrissey.
While ministers have ruled out a reduction for now, they also acknowledged the difficulties facing young people trying to get into work.
The Government said around one million young people are not in education, employment or training.
It said it is investing an additional £2.5billion by 2029 in the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy, with the aim of supporting almost one million young people and creating up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.
The measures include expanded Youth Hubs, more intensive support through Jobcentres, additional work experience and training, a £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant and a £2,000 apprenticeship hiring payment for employers.
The plans also include a fully funded six-month job for long-term unemployed people aged 18 to 24.
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Petition remains open until Christmas
Despite the Government's response, the campaign is still open for signatures.
The petition, titled Lower the State Pension age to free up jobs for young adults, was published on June 25 and will close on December 25, 2026.
It has passed the 10,000-signature threshold required for a Government response, but has yet to reach the 100,000 signatures needed for it to be considered for a debate in Parliament.
The petition's central argument is that allowing more older workers to retire could create opportunities for younger people who are currently out of work.
The Government's response makes clear that it does not plan to lower the State Pension age, instead pointing to its youth employment measures and the ongoing review of the age at which people can claim their State Pension.
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