Our Scotland - www.our-scotland.org

azzuri · 'Our Scotland' Fossil Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 3776

The debate over the future of pensions is shifting to Scotland as the government stages public meetings in Edinburgh and Paisley.
The events are the sixth in a series of discussions around the country on the future of pension provision.

People retiring now are likely to spend almost twice as long in retirement as previous generations raising fears of a financial shortfall.

The aim of the gatherings is to hear the views of members of the public.

Management and union officials are also being urged to put forward ideas on potential solutions.

Ministers are considering several options including raising the retirement age, increasing taxes or allowing pensioners to become relatively poorer.

New staff

Trade unions and the government last week agreed a deal over the future of several public service pension schemes.

The TUC said the government had dropped its suggestion that current members of the health, civil service and education schemes should retire later, at 65.

In exchange the unions accepted that a higher retirement age would be phased in for new staff.

Pensioners in Scotland staged a rally earlier this month to urge MSPs to support their demand for greater rights and respect.

Pension policy is controlled by Westminster but OAPs called on Holyrood to take up their case.

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