The UK High Court is considering whether to abandon the default retirement age of 65, and is expected to rule in the autumn. The government plans to conduct its own review in 2010. Abolition would be a big step forward in facing the challenges of our ageing society. It would be noted in other nations, many of which still encourage people to retire in their mid-50s.

The debate about longer working lives is normally framed in terms of the rights or the capacity of individuals to do so. Many people agree that older people should have the right to work if they want. Improvements in health and life expectancy, along with the nature of the information economy, make this increasingly possible.