Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Age discriminationConstructive dismissalEmployment lawEquality, diversity and inclusionHR practice

Default retirement age: Government announces date to scrap DRA

by Personnel Today 29 Jul 2010
by Personnel Today 29 Jul 2010

The default retirement age (DRA) will be scrapped on 1 October 2011 under proposals announced by the Government today (29 July).

The new plans allow for a six-month transition from the existing Regulations, following the announcement in the Budget that the DRA would be phased out from April 2011. Currently employers can force staff to retire at the age of 65 regardless of their circumstances.

The proposals state that from 6 April 2011, employers will not be able to issue any notifications for compulsory retirement using the DRA procedure. Between 6 April and 1 October, only people who were notified before 6 April, and whose retirement date is before 1 October can be compulsorily retired.

After 1 October, employers will not be able to use the DRA to compulsorily retire employees; if they wish to use retirement ages they will have to be able to demonstrate that these are objectively justified. Examples could include air traffic controllers and police officers.

Opinion: Edward Davey

Employment relations minister Ed Davey writes exclusively for Personnel Today about the Government’s plans and why HR must participate in the DRA consultation.

The consultation also proposes to help employers by removing the administrative burden of statutory retirement procedures. With the DRA removed there is no reason to keep employees’ “right to request” to work beyond retirement or for employers to give them a minimum of six months’ notice of retirement.

Employment relations minister Edward Davey said: “With more and more people wanting to extend their working lives we should not stop them just because they have reached a particular age. We want to give individuals greater choice and are moving swiftly to end discrimination of this kind.

“We are committed to ensuring employers are given help and support in adapting to the change in Regulations, and this consultation asks what kinds of support are required.”

Rachel Krys, campaign director at the Employers Forum on Age, said: “This is an incredible leap forward in employment practices and great news for individuals. Employers have nothing to fear from this change. This is an outdated policy and the removal of forced retirement is an opportunity to put policies and processes in place which make the most of an age diverse workforce.”

The consultation asks what additional support is required for individuals and employers in managing without the DRA or statutory retirement procedure. This includes the possibility of future guidance or a more formal code of practice on handling retirement discussions.

Views are also being sought on whether removal of the DRA could have unintended consequences for insured benefits and employee share plans.

The consultation is open from 29 June until 21 October 2010.

A summary of evidence and research from the Government’s call for evidence on the DRA earlier this year has also been published by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills alongside the consultation document.

Abolition of the default retirement age FAQs

Does the Government have plans to abolish the default retirement age?

Will there be transitional arrangements for the abolition of the default retirement age?

How will employers deal with retirement after the abolition of the default retirement age?

Will employers still be able to operate a compulsory retirement age after the abolition of the default retirement age?

Will anything replace the current statutory retirement procedure after the abolition of the default retirement age?

Will the statutory retirement procedure be repealed when the default retirement age is abolished?

After the abolition of the default retirement age, how should employers deal with employees over 65 who are underperforming?

Personnel Today
Personnel Today

Personnel Today articles are written by an expert team of award-winning journalists who have been covering HR and L&D for many years. Some of our content is attributed to "Personnel Today" for a number of reasons, including: when numerous authors are associated with writing or editing a piece; or when the author is unknown (particularly for older articles).

previous post
Pre-employment health screening is waste of time, says NHS report
next post
HR people moves: Catherine Cashin, Katie Ivie, Mark Gilbertson

You may also like

What will it mean to be an HR...

28 Nov 2023

Train driver unfairly dismissed after tarantula prank

28 Nov 2023

Cruise giant accused of planning ‘fire and rehire’...

24 Nov 2023

CFO wins discrimination claims after menopause comment

24 Nov 2023

Biffa’s Jane Patemen is crowned 2023 HR Director...

21 Nov 2023

2023 HR Impact Award is the right style...

21 Nov 2023

Burges Salmon takes home 2023 Employment Law Firm...

21 Nov 2023

Progeny collects Large HR Consultancy of the Year...

21 Nov 2023

Parent and Professional toddles off with Small HR...

21 Nov 2023

McDonald’s: How can employers prevent sexual harassment?

21 Nov 2023

  • Global growth with simple HR compliance (webinar) WEBINAR | In an increasingly global marketplace...Read more
  • Talent acquisition: How AI can complement a ‘back to basics’ approach PROMOTED | Artificial intelligence is now...Read more
  • What will it mean to be an HR professional in 2024? (webinar) WEBINAR | As we approach 2024...Read more
  • HR Budget Planning for 2024: Preparing your People Strategy PROMOTED | As organisations continue to adapt...Read more
  • Almost a fifth of UK workers feel undervalued – we need to solve this PROMOTED | A new report has found...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2023

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2023 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+