Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg failed to provide any further information surrounding the plan for a single-tier flat rate state pension, in the Coalition’s Mid-Term Review published today. Instead the government placed greater emphasis on longevity issues.

The flat-rate state pension is believed to be £140 a week but no further details were outlined in the report. Cameron and Clegg stated that they “will put in place a new mechanism to ensure that the state pension age reflects future changes in life expectancy so that the state pension system continues to be sustainable and affordable”.

The Coalition government also praised its own work in introducing a triple lock guarantee to ensure that the basic state pension will be raised by the highest of inflation, wages or 2.5 per cent which has resulted in the biggest ever cash increase in the basic state pension.

On the issue of life expectancy however, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) warned that the UK could have to work until they are 70 and beyond before receiving their state pension. In a statement on its website, the union said that “the government is already increasing the retirement age to 68 and has linked this to public state pensions”. In addition, it said that many would retire into ill health as a result of the state pension age reflecting life expectancy changes.

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