ABSTRACT
In the 1960s in the United Kingdom early retirement was comparatively rare, except in cases of disability. The early 1970s saw compulsory early retirement used, together with redundancy schemes, as a means to reduce numbers and deal with staffing ‘bulges’ in a wide range of industries. Better financial security from state and company pensions is frequently combined with generous financial settlements and ‘liberalized’ benefits for those who opt to take special early retirement offers. Companies employing early retirement options tend to be those with well established pension schemes. While for some retirees early retirement brings the opportunity for continuation or development of leisure pursuits, for others it is an opportunity for further paid employment or a change of working life-style. The trends towards earlier retirement also appear to be occurring within a more positive climate of social opinion generally towards the idea of retirement and leisure.
