Pension freedoms exposed a longevity problem we still refuse to confront

People are living longer than ever before. In the 1960s, for example, reaching 90 was relatively rare, with UK life expectancies somewhere around late 60s for men and mid-70s for women. Today, life expectancies are considerably longer, with men expected to live to around 79, and women 83. Reaching 90 is certainly no longer an unusual phenomenon. When it comes to financing those extra years, however, longevity becomes a problem for the UK pensions system. Many people cannot, and will not, be able to financially support themselves throughout their later life. The introduction of pens...