I read with interest a piece on the BBC website about early retirement due to ill-health. It seems to me that if classroom teachers were offered a pension based on their highest earnings rather than final salary, more of them would stay beyond 55.
The ability to “slow down” towards retirement age is common practice in most occupational pensions.
There will be some teachers seeking early retirement on health grounds because they do not feel they could manage a full-time post with responsibility. But I would be prepared to stay longer despite my health if my pension was not linked to final salary.
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