Advisers have called for the main political parties to make their position clear on increases to the state pension age.
Pension consultancy firm Mercer has called for a formal commitment from all political parties to support those having to work longer before receiving their state pensions.
The consultancy stated that failure to address the ripple effects of increasing the state pension age will have a detrimental impact on individuals’ lives, businesses and the national health and social care systems.
Faced with increases in longevity and the rising cost of the state pension, the Cridland review was commissioned by the government to consider whether the state pension age needs to change.
The review recommends increasing the state pension age from 67 to 68 between 2037 and 2039, and highlights the need for the government to support people to plan for longer working lifetimes, and longer expected retirements.
The review also points out that a large proportion of caring is undertaken by people approaching state pension age, and they are likely to be significantly affected by changes in state pension age.
Darren Cooke, a director at advice firm Red Circle Financial Planning, said: "All the major political parties need to be clear on the proposed state pension age as it affects everybody and there will be legislation on this in the next parliament. I support the Cridland proposals as people are living longer."
Tony Wood, UK leader of Mercer’s Health & Benefits business, said looking beyond Brexit, the Cridland review goes to the heart of many of the core issues raised in the current election campaign, including supporting the population with work and care.
"However there appears to be a distinct lack of commitment to the recommendations," he said.
"People need to plan well in advance, to be able to make the most of living and working longer, and it is imperative that all the recommendations of this review are addressed by those forming our new government and not kicked into the long grass.”
Tom McPhail, head of policy at online stockbroker and advice firm Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “The state pension age and the inflation proofing of it need to be considered in conjunction with each other.
"Ideally the next government would revisit both these aspects, as well as peripheral benefits such as the winter fuel allowance, bus passes and the TV licence to ensure that public spending on retirees is being used as effectively as possible.
"We do expect to see state pension ages rising to 68 by 2040, rather than the current official schedule of 2046, after that it is just a question of how fast and how far the next government wants to proceed.
"Similarly the triple lock is clearly not sustainable in the long term, the question is what would replace it and that is still very much a live debate.”
Only 43 per cent of people feel comfortable discussing retirement with their employer and only 24 per cent think that their employer offers the necessary support.
The review underlines the importance of this support in helping individuals secure a comfortable retirement themselves and so minimise their dependence on the state, according to a Jelf Group, LaterLife survey of 1,000 employed people over 55 in March 2017.
