The government’s six-year review of state pension age (SPA) is to be conducted by July 2023.

Consideration of life and healthy life expectancy inequalities are important to ensure that any changes do not unduly disadvantage any particular group.

Although the average probability of reaching SPA has improved for those approaching retirement, differences in healthy life expectancy and life expectancy is growing between the most and least deprived individuals.

To illustrate, individuals in the bottom 10 per cent of income can receive £47,000-£59,000 less from the state pension than the average, due to having a lower life expectancy and receiving lower amounts of state pension.

Current policy sets SPA at a national level, which is easy to implement and govern, and is considered feasible.

Since increases in longevity are unevenly distributed, the effects of SPA changes will also be unevenly distributed.

Consideration is needed for those who suffer more from SPA increases.

Examples already mooted, such as varying SPA by area/occupation/earning levels typically raise problems in its management and fairness, or increased cost or funding required from those of working ages, raising intergenerational fairness issues.

And until the drivers of inequality in life and health are addressed across all ages, pension policy will have to continue to patch up their consequences.

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