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Early retirement and inequality in Britain and Germany: How important is health?

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Author Info
Jennifer Roberts () (Department of Economics, The University of Sheffield)
Nigel Rice
Andrew M. Jones

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Abstract

Both health and income inequalities have been shown to be much greater in Britain than in Germany. One of the main reasons seems to be the difference in the relative position of the retired, who, in Britain, are much more concentrated in the lower income groups. Inequality analysis reveals that while the distribution of health shocks is more concentrated among those on low incomes in Britain, early retirement is more concentrated among those on high incomes. In contrast, in Germany, both health shocks and early retirement are more concentrated among those with low incomes. We use comparable longitudinal data sets from Britain and Germany to estimate hazard models of the effect of health on early retirement. The hazard models show that health is a key determinant of the retirement hazard for both men and women in Britain and Germany. The size of the health effect appears large compared to the other variables. Designing financial incentives to encourage people to work for longer may not be sufficient as a policy tool if people are leaving the labour market involuntarily due to health problems.

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File URL: http://www.shef.ac.uk/content/1/c6/09/02/31/SERP2008012.pdf
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File Function: First version, 2008
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Publisher Info
Paper provided by The University of Sheffield, Department of Economics in its series Working Papers with number 2008012.

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Length: 30 pages
Date of creation: Nov 2008
Date of revision: Nov 2008
Handle: RePEc:shf:wpaper:2008012

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Related research
Keywords: health; early retirement; hazard models;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies
I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data
C41 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Duration Analysis

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References listed on IDEAS
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    Other versions:
  2. Pablo Antolín & Stefano Scarpetta, 1998. "Microeconometric Analysis of the Retirement Decision: Germany," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 204, OECD, Economics Department. [Downloadable!]
  3. Wagstaff, Adam & van Doorslaer, Eddy & Paci, Pierella, 1989. "Equity in the Finance and Delivery of Health Care: Some Tentative Cross-country Comparisons," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 5(1), pages 89-112, Spring.
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  5. Meyer, Bruce D, 1990. "Unemployment Insurance and Unemployment Spells," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 58(4), pages 757-82, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  6. Andrew M Jones & Xander Koolman & Nigel Rice, 2005. "Health-related non-response in the BHPS and ECHP: using inverse probability weighted estimators in nonlinear models," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 05/05, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York. [Downloadable!]
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  9. Disney, Richard & Emmerson, Carl & Wakefield, Matthew, 2006. "Ill health and retirement in Britain: A panel data-based analysis," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 621-649, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  10. Verbeek, Marno & Nijman, Theo, 1992. "Testing for Selectivity Bias in Panel Data Models," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 33(3), pages 681-703, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  11. Hurd, Michael D, 1990. "Research on the Elderly: Economic Status, Retirement, and Consumption and Saving," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 28(2), pages 565-637, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  16. Nigel Rice & Jennifer Roberts & Andrew M. Jones, 2006. "Sick of work or too sick to work? Evidence on health shocks and early retirement from the BHPS," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 06/13, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York. [Downloadable!]
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  17. Richard Blundell & Costas Meghir & Sarah Smith, 2002. "Pension Incentives and the Pattern of Early Retirement," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 112(478), pages C153-C170, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  18. Richard Disney & Costas Meghir & Edward Whitehouse, 1994. "Retirement behaviour in Britain," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 15(1), pages 24-43, February.
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  20. Jaap H. Abbring & Gerard J. van den Berg, 2003. "The Nonparametric Identification of Treatment Effects in Duration Models," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 71(5), pages 1491-1517, 09. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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    Other versions:
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