British pensioners could be told when they can expect to die

LONDON, April 18 (UPI) -- The British government is considering telling pensioners how long they can expect to live, an attempt to make financial planning easier.

“People are living a lot longer, so we have to make sure they have up-to-date information. There’s no point in being British and coy about it,” said Pensions Minister Steve Webb in an interview with the BBC Thursday. By asking several questions about lifestyle and habits, notably about smoking, the government could provide answers to life-expectancy questions, he added.

Webb’s comments came after the government announced an overhaul of private pension rules, regarded as a reduction in state intervention in citizens’ lives. The new rules allow a pensioner to purchase a lump-sum payment instead of an annuity offering a guaranteed lifetime income, and offer face-to-face consultations with pension advisers.

Webb said the new policy was designed to “move away from nannying people,” a reference to a definition of government involvement in personal lives as a nanny state. The objective, he said, was to “help people make the right choice.”

[BBC]