# FILE NAME: 00001193.soc
# TITLE: Should we raise the retirement age from 66 to 68? [42928d9692f2bf9c94b699f4ec43467d]
# DESCRIPTION: 
# DATA TYPE: soc
# MODIFICATION TYPE: original
# RELATES TO: 
# RELATED FILES: 
# PUBLICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# MODIFICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# NUMBER ALTERNATIVES: 4
# NUMBER VOTERS: 5
# NUMBER UNIQUE ORDERS: 5
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 1: Statement 1 - We do not believe that we should raise the retirement age from 66 to 68. This is for several reasons. Firstly, the current pandemic has had a huge impact on many peoples lives, and raising the retirement age may be one of the worst things to do. People have been at home for a long time and will be craving social interaction. Raising the retirement age would also mean that people would lose that. People should not have to work until they die, they should have the opportunity to enjoy their retirement, and doing this could result in people dying earlier. However, the argument to raise the retirement age is that we are living longer. However, people have also been dying earlier due to Covid-19. This means that the average age of death may be lower, and this means that the retirement age should not have to be raised. We also do not think that people should have to work until they die, they should have the opportunity to enjoy their retirement, and doing this could result in people dying earlier.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 2: Statement 2 - No, we should not raise the retirement age from 66 to 68. There are a number of reasons for this view. Firstly, people have been working a long time, and there are a number of physical jobs which can be difficult at the best of times, and would be particularly challenging for people aged 66. The global pandemic has had a huge impact on many peoples lives, and raising the retirement age may be one of the worst things to do. People have been at home for a long time and will be craving social interaction. Raising the retirement age would also mean that people would lose that. People should not have to work until they die, they should have the opportunity to enjoy their retirement, and doing this could result in people dying earlier. However, the argument to raise the retirement age is that we are living longer. However, people have also been dying earlier due to Covid-19. This means that the average age of death may be lower, and this means that the retirement age should not have to be raised.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 3: Statement 3 - Final consensus statement: While it would be expected that people are able to work longer, we don't think the retirement age should be raised from 66 to 68. There are numerous reasons for this view. Firstly, many people would have struggled to work during lockdown, and may have had to sacrifice their health for the sake of their job. And an increase in the retirement age is not good for their health. It is no secret that people in their 60s and 70s are more at risk of catching the virus than younger people, and continuing to work will put people at even greater risk. People aged 66 would also have been working hard, and maybe in manual jobs, so raising the retirement age would be very unfair on them. Many people could also die earlier if the age is raised due to the virus, and due to the elderly being more at risk. If that was to happen, this would be a great shame, and would mean that they will not be able to enjoy their retirement. People also deserve the chance to take some time off and recover from working for their whole life. People should not have to work until they die. Also, during lockdown people will have missed family members, and they have been isolated at home for a
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 4: Statement 4 - We believe that we should not raise the retirement age from 66 to 68. There are several reasons for this view. Firstly, people have been working a long time, and there are a number of physically demanding jobs which can be difficult at the best of times, and would be particularly challenging for people aged 66. The global pandemic has had a huge impact on many peoples lives, and raising the retirement age may be one of the worst things to do. People have been at home for a long time and will be craving social interaction. Raising the retirement age would also mean that people would lose that. People should not have to work until they die, they should have the opportunity to enjoy their retirement, and doing this could result in people dying earlier. There are arguments to raise the retirement age given the increased life expectancy and the resulting increased cost in state pension and the reduction in the number of manual workers. It would however have to be phased in as people have planned and saved for retiring at a set age. Consideration will also have to be given to those in manual or physically demanding jobs.
1: 4,3,1,2
1: 3,4,2,1
1: 3,4,1,2
1: 3,2,1,4
1: 2,1,4,3