Legislation 'pushes elderly into retirement'

The state pension age for men and women should rise to 68 by January 2023 - a decade earlier than the plans currently set out by Chancellor George Osborne - findings from the Institute of Economic Affairs suggest.

Gabriel Sahlgren, the author of the report, told the Today programme's Simon Jack "we live longer, so we should be working longer as well".

He added that in addition to changing the state pension system "further and faster", the government should consider altering "employment protection legislation" too.

Mr Sahlgren said research across the world showed this legislation "actually has a negative effect on employment rates among the elderly simply because they are pushed into retirement".

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Wednesday 8 January 2014.