Retirement on grounds of ill health: Cross sectional survey in six organisations in United Kingdom

Objective: To assess the process and outcome of retirement due to ill health in six large organisations. Design: Cross sectional study of the rate of retirement due to ill health by age, sex, and length of service. Principal diagnoses by age and length of service were also compared. Setting: Four public and two private large employers in the United Kingdom. Main outcome measures: Rates of retirement on the grounds of ill health by age, sex, and length of service of employees contributing to pension schemes. Results: Rates of ill health retirement varied from 20 to 250 per 10 000 contributing members, and in two organisations the rate varied geographically within the same organisation. In the two organisations that provided data by sex, women retired at a greater rate than men under age 40 and over age 50. In four organisations the modal age or length of service coincided with enhancements in benefits. In the four that provided information on diagnoses, musculoskeletal and minor psychiatric illnesses were the most common reasons for retirement Conclusion: The granting of ill health retirement benefits may not be determined by illness. There is a need for some employers and pension schemes to improve their processes for granting benefits. Doctors should be wary of conflicts of interest and work to guidelines when they advise pension schemes about the merits of an application for benefits.