Working longer is not so bad

Being forced to wait even longer for a state pension may seem a bleak prospect, but working until 70 won’t necessarily be a bad option.

For starters, today’s 20-year-olds will be much fitter when they reach state pension age than the current crop. Many may want to work longer, or go part-time for a few years before stopping work altogether, given fewer people will have careers involving hard, physical graft.

That also means people are likely to live much longer, which is why the Government is being forced to act now.

Also, fewer people will need to rely on the state pension in the future. A current programme known as auto-enrolment is forcing all firms to set up pensions for their staff, which will give millions more their own personal pot to draw on for their retirement years.