Denmark raises retirement age to the highest in Europe, sparking fury: 'No time to be with grandchildren!'
The Scandinavian country has tied the new retirement age to life expectancy, only affecting those who were born after 1971.
The cap will rise from the current retirement age of 67 to 68 in 2030 and then to 69 in 2025.
Tommas Jensen told Danish media 'we're working and working and working, but we can't keep going'.
'I've paid my taxes all my life. There should also be time to be with children and grandchildren.'
The 47-year-old roofer went on to say the move was 'unreasonable' and highlighted the difference between working a desk job and jobs that are demanding of the body.
The Danish government has been revising the retirement age every five years for the last two decades, with this new rule passed through their parliament yesterday 81 votes in favour to 21 against.
But the Social Democrat Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has previously said these numbers would be renegotiated.
She said: 'We no longer believe that the retirement age should be increased automatically.'
She added that her party believed 'you can't just keep saying that people have to work a year longer'.
Protests have been taking place in Copenhagen over the last few weeks as trade unions stood against the new changes.
The chairman of a Danish trade union confederation, Jesper Ettrup Rasmussen, said ahead of the vote on Thursday that the proposal was 'completely unfair'.
'A higher retirement age means that [people will] lose the right to a dignified senior life.'
'Denmark has a healthy economy and yet the EU's highest retirement age,' he added.
Retirement ages across Europe have been rising in recent years to meet budget deficits as well as the improved life expectancy.
Brits born between 6 October 1954 and 5 April 1960 can begin to receive their pension from 66 but this will raise to 67 for people born after this period.
This could increase as the State Pension age will also be repeatedly reviewed in the UK to address longer life expectancy.
By comparison, people in Sweden can start claiming pension benefits from 63.
But for those living in Italy, they will have to wait until they are 67 to receive their pension.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Arrests after migrant hotel protests in England
Fifteen people have been arrested after protests across England outside hotels used to house groups and counter demonstrators clashed in London and Newcastle, and before a march in Manchester city centre. Nine people were arrested in the capital, seven for breaching Public Order Act conditions, the Metropolitan Police said. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, says she wants to "restore order and control" to the asylum system by fast-tracking the appeals process. She told the paper changes to the way appeals on asylum are handled will take place in the autumn, adding: "If we speed up the decision-making appeal system and also then keep increasing returns, we hope to be able to make quite a big reduction in the overall numbers".The Home Office has said the number of hotels being used for asylum seekers has decreased from more than 400 in summer 2023, to less than also announced plans to end the use of hotels to house migrants by 2029, which Chancellor Rachel Reeves says will save £1bn a year. A series of protests outside the migrant hotels have been taking place in recent weeks. The protest in London on Saturday was held outside of the Thistle City Barbican Hotel in Islington, with a counter-protest led by the group Stand Up To Met said the protest was organised by local residents under the banner "Thistle Barbican needs to go - locals say no".But police said it had been "endorsed by groups from outside the local community which is likely to increase the number of people attending".The MP for Islington North, former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn had urged people to join the police had imposed special restrictions ahead of the London demonstration, including setting out specific areas where each group had to remain. In Newcastle, a protest and counter-protest took place outside The New Bridge Hotel. Four people were arrested and remain in custody, according to Northumbria Police."The right to lawful protest is a key part of any democracy, which the police uphold," a spokesperson for the force said. "However, we will not accept people using them as a means to commit crime or disorder."About 1,500 people waved England and Union flags in a march organised by the Britain First group from Manchester Piccadilly rail station to outside the Central Library, where they held a 250 people were also estimated to be at a counter-demonstration led by the Stand up to Racism organisation, with police keeping the groups apart in St Peter's Manchester Police said that a "number of demonstrations passed by peacefully" with "no incidents of note". But two arrests were made during a confrontation at the start of the march, the statement added. One person was arrested for theft and the other for obstructing an arrest.
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Daily Mail
'I run Britain's cheapest shop... everything costs 20p - but we're STILL fighting a crimewave'
It is the no-frills family-run store where every single item costs just 20p - but even Britain's cheapest shop is not immune from the brazen scourge of shoplifting sweeping the nation. The 20p Shop, nestled in the affluent market town of Otley, West Yorkshire, gained cult status among bargain hunters thanks to its rock-bottom prices and treasure trove of budget delights. The small business, which flogs greetings cards, cutlery and even jewellery for pennies, has managed to stave off a pandemic, stubborn inflation and a cost-of-living crisis. But now its owner has warned that the business - which relies on making the tiniest of profit margins - is under siege from shameless shoplifters stealing armfuls of stock, despite its ultra-low prices. The shocking revelation comes amid new figures published last month that suggests shoplifting in England and Wales has reached record levels. Steve Nelson, 67, said: 'We've got shoplifters - in a 20p shop. You tell me what kind of person does that? 'They'll pay 20p at the till just to make it look good - then on their way out, swipe a bunch of cards or plates. 'We've barred a couple. Believe it or not, some of them are pensioners. 'One paid 20p at the till, then walked to the table near the door and filled his bag up on the way out. 'I was just staggered. If he'd asked me for it, he could have just had it. 'When you've got pensioners stealing from a 20p shop, something's gone seriously wrong, hasn't it?' The high street shop may only charge 20p per item, but the impact of shoplifting is no small loss. Stock is bought in bulk, carefully sourced to allow profit margins of just pennies on each item. That makes each theft a serious financial blow. Mr Nelson, who has worked on markets since he was eight years old, says thefts have surged in recent months - with some crooks allegedly swiping cards in bulk to flog at car boot sales. He said: 'Cards are the worst, with people funding their own car boot sales by nicking them from us. 'Then they sell them for 50p each or something. 'If someone comes in and packs handfuls of cards into a carrier bag, they could cost me £30 or £40. 'People are just helping themselves to stuff that costs pennies. 'It just becomes incredibly frustrating. I could buy 100 tubes of super glue for £18 and if we sell the lot, great, we've made a couple of quid. 'But if somebody pinches a handful, what was the point of buying them in the first place? That's when you lose interest and think 'why I am doing this?'' The 20p Shop, which opened in 2017, has seen curious customers flock from far and wide in search of a bargain. Locals often donate unwanted goods, while the shop is manned by kind-hearted volunteers because takings would not cover staff wages. On a good day, the till might ring in around £150 - a figure that has to cover rent, rates and electricity. Mr Nelson said hikes in utilities and the increased cost of wholesale stock had caused significant pressures, along with a 'mindless' council decision to paint double yellow lines outside the shop, leading to a drop in footfall. He admitted: 'There are battles, whichever way you look. We're just going from one month to the next. 'Whether it's worth battling on, I don't know.' Mr Nelson's son Stewart, 31, who helps run the store, admitted there had been talk of raising prices to 50p - but insisted it's not going to happen. He said: 'The idea of keeping the shop going is hard because we just don't have enough money, and everything's going through the roof. 'We're very fortunate that people love the shop so much that they want to help out as volunteers. 'But we are not going to change the price. Our identity is The 20p Shop. That's how people know us.' Shoppers rummaging through neatly arranged greetings cards, second-hand books, calendars and quirky bric-a-brac told Daily Mail the store was 'a hidden gem'. Husband and wife Patricia and Alan Pickles, 81, left clutching two empty M&S biscuit tins - donated stock they plan to use for 'bits and pieces.' Mrs Pickles, 78, from Otley, said: 'I think the shop is fantastic. Everyone loves a bargain - it doesn't matter if you're rich or poor. There's always something from everybody. 'It's incredible to think that you could even run a business as a 20p shop in this day and age. I don't know how they do it.' Lee Lewis, 44, from Keighley, West Yorks, emerged with a bulging shopping bag and a total spend of just £1.40. He said: 'The amount of stuff I've just picked up here - it's absolutely incredible. 'I got a portfolio holder, a wall-mounting clip for a camera, a lovely little pendant for my grandmother, a charging stand, and the film Crash, which I think is one of the best movies ever made. 'How anyone can run a shop these days where everything's 20p is beyond me. It's like a little Aladdin's cave for people trying to make ends meet.' Regular visitor Jean Tricklebank, 72, said: 'People come from all around to visit The 20p Shop - towns that are well out of Otley. 'It's actually become a bit of tourist attraction. People make an effort to visit Otley so they can come and have a browse.' Angie Stork, 49, started volunteering at the shop last year as a way to meet people after moving to Otley. She said: 'I never get tired of hearing people say '20p? Is that all?' 'People can't believe it because you can't get you can't get anything for 20p these days. Not even a Milky Bar. 'We get all sorts of people in here, from all walks of life. People say one man's tat is another man's treasure, and I think that's why customers love the shop.' The woes of The 20p Shop come as statistics released last month showed shoplifting has risen by 20 per cent and reached record levels. Police recorded 530,643 offences in England and Wales in the year to March 2025 - the highest figure since records begun and up from 444,022 in the previous year. Shoplifting has become an increasing nightmare for High Street shops, with only a tiny minority of offenders ever charged. The crisis is illustrated by sickening CCTV revealing thieves casually walking out of stores with armfuls of high-value goods. Footage from a Waitrose store in London's Notting Hill earlier this month showed two men leaving with a stash of steak and salmon while staff watched on - forbidden from doing anything due to company policy. But elsewhere, shops have been fighting back, with two brave security guards seen grappling with a shoplifter trying to steal bottles of fizzy drink from a Greggs in nearby Hammersmith. Footage filmed by Daily Mail showed a young man being forced to drop the items on the floor before leaving in a strop. Since the pandemic, the Russia Ukraine conflict and soaring inflation, theft has soared in the UK, recently hitting the highest level ever seen. While some shoplifting may be fuelled by cost of living pressures, police believe organised gangs targeting expensive goods like steak, wine and high-end electronics are largely to blame. Last year, a national police unit set up to tackle the scourge of shoplifting across Britain identified more than 20 gangs and 200 criminals driving the epidemic. The gangs, many believed to be East European, are responsible for millions of pounds of thefts each year, and are also suspected of human trafficking and exploiting vulnerable individuals.
Fashion United
9 hours ago
- Fashion United
Brand Radar: ROTATE's Danish glamour with edge and ease
Copenhagen-based fashion brand Rotate is known for bold, vibrant partywear that breaks from the typically minimalist Scandinavian style. Founded in 2018 by influencers-turned-designers Jeanette Madsen and Thora Valdimarsdottir, the label fills a gap they saw in their own wardrobes for fun, statement pieces. It quickly gained a following for its sequined minis, playful prints, and daring silhouettes. Rotate's target audience spans youthful, fashion-forward consumers worldwide who are not afraid to stand out in a crowd with empowering style. Brand history and evolution Rotate began as a capsule collaboration under Danish luxury retailer Birger Christensen. After a successful debut at Copenhagen Fashion Week, the project was made permanent due to high demand. By late 2019, the brand was already earning industry accolades; Forbes named it a 'Brand to Watch' and it snagged Denmark's Elle Style Award for Brand of the Year. Today the brand boasts retail distribution in forty countries and is carried by over 450 stockists, from luxury e-tailers to boutiques, serving customers across Europe, the US, and the Middle East. While Rotate first made its name with vibrant party dresses and bold silhouettes, the brand has recently begun embracing more muted tones and classic silhouettes. This evolution aligns with a broader industry trend toward more timeless, versatile pieces and reflects Rotate's desire to remain relevant beyond special occasion wear. The autumn/winter 2025 collection, for instance, features softer palettes, structured tailoring, and understated fabrics that maintain the brand's signature attitude while still featuring sequined and coloured staples. Credits: ROTATE Key success factors and social media buzz A major driver of Rotate's success is its savvy use of social media. The label was born digital-first; its co-founders leveraged their own influence, over 450,000 Instagram followers combined, and a dedicated brand Instagram, which has around 380,000 followers as of 2025, to build hype. Early on, Madsen and Valdimarsdottir sent their eye-catching dresses to fashion influencer friends, leading to quick viral exposure and instant sell-outs when stars like Leonie Hanne donned Rotate. This organic buzz translated into buyers from major retailers placing orders from the first collection. On TikTok, Rotate is also making strides: the brand's hashtag challenges, like #makeitrotate, have amassed hundreds of thousands of views. Embracing creative content, from behind-the-scenes styling clips to augmented-reality try-ons, has helped Rotate engage Gen Z fans on emerging platforms. Collections and pricing Rotate releases two main collections per year, spring/summer and autumn/winter, showcased at Copenhagen Fashion Week, alongside several capsule lines. More recently it expanded into bridal attire with Rotate Wedding, launched 2022, to offer modern, wedding looks. In terms of pricing, Rotate sits in the contemporary segment, offering an accessible luxury price range. Core pieces from the latest collection on its webshop range roughly from about 180 euros up to 700 euros. A Satin Fitted Top is listed at 190 euros, while an ornate Satin Bow Dress sells for around 700 euros. In between, the brand's signature party dresses typically retail in the 300 euro to 400 euro range. Credits: Polina Vinogradova Future outlook Looking ahead, Rotate shows no signs of slowing down. The company earned B Corp certification in 2024, underscoring its commitment to sustainability and ethics as it grows. This aligns with a broader vision to empower women through fashion in a conscious way. The brand has also embraced innovation in the digital space, exploring artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and metaverse integrations to stay ahead of emerging trends. These initiatives complement the brand's continued expansion into new categories, such as bags, jewelry, and other accessories, and new markets. ABOUT THE BRAND Read more about ROTATE on their brandpage
