The government is facing demands to scrap the retirement age after research revealed most people think fixed retirement ages are out of date.

The report by Age Concern shows that nearly nine out of 10 people disagree that employers should have the right to get rid of anyone over 65 solely on the grounds of age. In addition, six in 10 disagree that older workers should make way for younger ones.

The UK government is already preparing to introduce some changes to the retirement age by October 2006, in order to comply with the European employment directive on age discrimination.

Age Concern commissioned ICM to poll 1,007 adults about their attitudes to the retirement age.