Today we are pleased to officially commence the HEAF FIRST (Factors influencing Retirement) Study

This study aims to find out the work-related factors that influence people’s decision to retire or to continue working into older ages with the HEAF cohort. We also aim to look at what employers can do to ensure that people are able to work beyond normal retirement age if they want to. We aim to publish findings in the research press and also hope to influence business and government policy in this area. The research will also form part of Martin Stevens’s PhD study into retirement decisions.

At this stage we will be contacting a small number of retired participants to conduct telephone interviews and discuss reasons for retirement. We’re excited to communicate with members of the HEAF cohort via telephone for the first time and believe this will enrich the comprehensive data gathered already by questionnaire. This will eventually lead onto the development of a retirement specific questionnaire.