GOVERNMENT plans to increase the retirement age is going to hit women harder than men, according to a charity for the elderly.

Chancellor George Osborne revealed plans to raise the retirement age to 66 for men and women as part of the Spending Review yesterday (Wednesday).

Chief Executive of Age UK Somerset Libby Lisgo said: “One concern is this is going to hit women disproportionately hard. They can currently retire at 60, then it was being pushed up to 65 - and now 66.”

The move is hoped to save the Government over £5 billion - which could help fund a better state pension.

But Ms Lisgo believes there will be no benefits to pensioners in the short-term.

Charlie MacEwen, WPA director of communications, said “the devil was in the detail” but that a slightly older workforce was not a big deal.