Most people are happy working, and those happy at their work are usually good at what they do. It generates a great deal of personal pride and satisfaction and retirement makes a total and instant change in a person’s life.

Retirement could be entered into in stages over a number of years, with people working reduced hours or days worked in a week, and taking longer holidays with no further pension contributions while the value of the pension increases.

This could benefit employers with a smoother handover of experience and training up of replacements.

It could also lessen the impact on business and the Treasury of bringing in equality for women in the rules and rewards of retirement over a shorter time-scale.

George Appleby, Leighton Croft, York.