Three-quarters of small firms in Britain have not yet implemented the procedures that will allow their employees to work beyond 65, according to new research from Lloyds TSB Business.
The study found that only 25 per cent of firms had put in place the 'right to request' rules that allow employees to stay on after the traditionally age of retirement, while 45 per cent said they were not yet sure whether they would implement the procedures.
"Given their positive attitudes to the contribution made by older workers, it is surprising that so many small firms are still undecided about whether to allow their staff to work beyond 65," said Stephen Pegge, head of communications at Lloyds TSB Business.
However, the survey revealed that 40 per cent of small employers believed that the rules, introduced last October, would only serve to create more bureaucracy and 21 per cent said they expected costs to rise.
The regulations also cover the way in which job vacancies are advertised, forbidding companies from using terms that could be perceived as asking for candidates of a particular age.
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