The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has welcomed the decision to carry out an early review of the current default age of retirement.
The group stated that a key challenge as people lived longer lives was to develop the right kinds of jobs to allow them to retain an active lifestyle.
Furthermore, this meant offering support and training for older workers, it added.
"It cannot be right that an employer can sack someone simply for being too old. Employees should have choice – neither forced by employers to give up work, nor forced by inadequate pensions into working longer than they should," the TUC stated.
Its comments come after Lord Turner, the former chairman of the Pensions Commission, told the BBC that the age of retirement should now be increased sooner than originally planned.
He added that public sector employees should expect to receive the state pension at the age of 70.
