CHAPTER 21.11. RETIREMENT AND RETIREMENT INTENTIONS

INTRODUCTION

21.11.1 The Retirement and Retirement Intentions Survey was conducted as a supplement to the Labour Force Survey on an irregular basis between 1980 and 1997. It collected information about the retirement and retirement intentions of persons aged 45 years and over. Although the survey was last conducted in this format in 1997, a retirement and retirement intentions topic is currently included in the Multi Purpose Household Survey (MPHS) every two years (beginning with the 2004–05 reference period). See Chapter 22.2 for more detail on this collection.

21.11.2 Data from the survey were used to examine changes in retirement trends over time and the income arrangements retirees and potential retirees have made to provide for their retirement. Data were used primarily in the development and review of income support and superannuation policies.

21.11.3 This section describes only those aspects of the methodology that were unique to this survey and should therefore be read in conjunction with the overview part of this (Chapter 21), which outlines the survey methodology used in supplementary surveys.


SURVEY OUTPUT

21.11.4 Data from the survey were published in Retirement and Retirement Intentions, Australia (cat. no. 6238.0). More detailed estimates are available on request.

21.11.5 Data from the survey related to people aged 45 years and over. The main populations of interest were people who had retired from full-time work, people who had retired from the labour force, and people who were still working and intended to retire. Estimates were made available on an original basis only (i.e. not seasonally adjusted) and include:

Socio-demographic information :

• sex; age;
• marital status;
• household/family relationship;
• state or territory of usual residence; and
• birthplace and year of arrival in Australia.

All persons :

• labour force status;
• details of current job including full-time or part-time status (for those working);
• status in employment (for those working); and
• occupation and industry (for those working).

Persons who had retired from full-time work :

• age at retirement from full-time work;
• reason for ceasing last full-time job;
• whether reached compulsory retirement age in last full-time job;
• details of last full-time job including occupation, industry, and status in employment; and
• time since retirement.

Persons who had retired from full-time work aged 45 and over :

• details of retirement scheme membership;
• retirement scheme membership at retirement from full-time job;
• time in main retirement scheme at retirement from full-time job;
• previous retirement scheme membership, and time in previous retirement scheme;
• details of payments from retirement scheme, including type of payment from retirement scheme,
• disbursement of lump sum payment from retirement scheme (and amount if retired less than four years from time of survey);
• details of income, including sources of income at retirement from full-time work,
• current sources of income, and
• whether changed main source of income since retirement.

Persons who had retired from the labour force :

• details of retirement from full-time work (as above); and
• time since retirement from the labour force.

Persons who intended to retire :

• details of retirement scheme membership (current and previous);
• expected time until retirement (from full-time work, from the labour force);
• expected sources of income at retirement from full-time work;
• whether intends to work part-time after retirement from full-time work; and
• intended age at retirement (from full-time work, from the labour force).

21.11.6 All data collected were compiled according to concepts and definitions outlined in Chapter 2 (Currently Economically Active Population, Chapter 4 (Employment Measures and Classifications Chapter 10 Other Measures of the Economically Active Population) and Chapter 16 Other Classifications Used in Labour Statistics).

SCOPE

21.11.7 The scope of this survey was restricted to persons aged 45 years and over. The standard scope restrictions for supplementary surveys outlined in the overview part of Chapter 21 also apply to this survey.

RELATED SURVEYS

21.11.8 A Retirement and Retirement Intentions topic is currently included in the Multi-Purpose Household Survey (MPHS) every two years, and was first conducted in the 2004–05 reference period. Data from the supplementary survey and the MPHS topic are not directly comparable as there are differences in the concepts measured, scope, collection methodology and sample design. See Chapter 22.2 for more detail information on this survey.

21.11.9 Data on retirement and retirement intentions are also collected as a component of the 2007 Survey of Employment Arrangements, Retirement and Superannuation (SEARS), which was earlier conducted in 2000 as the Survey of Employment Arrangements and Superannuation (SEAS) (see Chapter 23). While SEARS has a similar focus to SEAS, and collects a similar range of data, changes in the survey scope and methodology, and in the collection and presentation of information, mean that estimates fro the surveys may not be strictly comparable. The next SEARS will be conduced in 2013, and will be combined with the Time Use Survey into a new survey called the Work, Life and Family Survey.


DATA COMPARABILITY OVER TIME

21.11.10 In order to provide a high degree of consistency and comparability over time, changes to survey methods, survey concepts, data item definitions, frequency of collection, and analysis methods were made as infrequently as possible. Over the time the survey was conducted there were some changes to the scope and sample size. These changes mean that the standard errors for the survey differ over time. The effect on estimates of the change in scope is considered to have been small. Changes affecting the Labour Force Survey may also have affected this survey. Such changes are outlined in Chapter 20 and are not repeated here.

Key survey specific changes are outlined below.

1980

Initial survey conducted (May) - preliminary data published in Persons Aged 50-69 Years Ceasing Full-Time Work, Australia, Preliminary (cat. no. 6237.0) and final data published in Persons Aged 50-69 Years Ceasing Full-Time Work, Australia (cat. no. 6238.0).
Survey scope - persons aged 50-69 years.
Ceased full-time work defined as - previously worked on a full-time basis and have permanently ceased full-time labour force activity (working or looking for work).

1983

Survey conducted (September) - data published in Persons Retired From Full-Time Work, Australia (cat. no. 6238.0)
Retired defined as - previously worked on a full-time basis and have permanently ceased full-time labour force activity (working or looking for work).

1984

Survey conducted (September) - preliminary data published in Persons Who Intended To Retire From Full-Time Work, Australia, Preliminary (cat. no. 6257.0) and final data published in Persons Who Intended To Retire From Full-Time Work, Australia (cat. no. 6258.0).
Survey scope - persons aged 45 years and over.
Information only collected about intentions to retire from full-time work.

1986

Survey conducted (November) - preliminary data published in Retirement and Retirement Intentions, Australia, Preliminary (cat. no. 6237.0) and final data published in Retirement and Retirement Intentions, Australia (cat. no. 6238.0).
Information collected about: intentions to retire from full-time work; and retirement from full-time work.
Information was not collected from persons permanently unable to work.
Preliminary publication discontinued.

1989

Survey conducted (November).

1992

Survey conducted (October).

1994

Survey conducted (November).
Sample restricted to seven-eighths of the Labour Force Survey sample.
Information collected from persons permanently unable to work.
Standard Data Service replaced publication format (cat. no. changed to 6238.0.40.001).

1997

Sample restricted to six-eighths of the Labour Force Survey sample.
Data on partial and full retirement collected.
Publication format replaced Standard Data Service (Retirement and Retirement Intentions, Australia cat. no. changed to 6238.0).
Persons living in remote and sparsely settled areas excluded from scope.
Survey vehicle changed from a supplementary survey to a topic on the MPHS. For more information, see Chapter 22 (MPHS) and Chapter 22.2 (Retirement and Retirement Intentions).


FURTHER INFORMATION

21.11.11 For further details contact the Labour Market Statistics Section in Canberra on (02) 6252 7206 or email labour.statistics@abs.gov.au.

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