More than one in five workers will die before they get a pension if the retirement age is raised to 70, the TUC has warned.

People will have to work until they "literally drop" and in some deprived areas of the UK one in three people - and almost half of all men - will not live to receive a State pension.

Research for the TUC showed that one in six people in England and Wales died before they reached 65 and a further seven per cent before the age of 70.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "Many commentators tell us we can solve the pensions crisis if we all work longer before we retire.

"But these figures show many will have to work until they literally drop if the retirement age is increased to 70."

Wednesday June 16, 2004