Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the merits of allowing people to claim their state pension before reaching pensionable age if they have been forced to retire on the grounds of ill health.

The Pensions Act 2014, section 27, commits the Government to a structured review of the State Pension age. The first Government review of State Pension age is underway and must report by May 2017.

The review will be informed by an independent report by John Cridland, which will comment on factors that the Secretary of State should take account of in the review. Mr. Cridland published an interim report on 13 October 2016, alongside a call for evidence, which will close on the 31 December 2016.