Britannia Building Society has changed its HR policies to allow staff to work until the age of 70.

The change was brought about by a review of HR policies and procedures in the light of the age discrimination legislation – the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations – which comes into force on October 1.

From Sunday, Britannia employees will have the choice of working until they are 70 or retiring before.

Lynette Beckett, organisational development manager at Britannia explained: “We used the regulations as an opportunity to review Britannia’s policies and to reflect the society’s strategy of being a great place to work, grow and develop.

“We advised staff of the proposals and asked for their feedback. The comments we received reflected the thoughts and views of different groups of employees and the decisions we have taken reflect those views.

“Of course, some employees may prefer to retire before their 70th birthday; the new policy simply gives them the opportunity to work for longer if they wish.”