The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that the UK's compulsory retirement age of 65 in not in breach of EU law.

In the UK a British employer can dismiss a member of staff without redundancy payments when that person reaches 65 years of age.

The ECJ ruled that the practice was legal if it had a legitimate aim related to employment and social policy and that it was up to the UK's High Court to decide the age limit.

The case was brought by Age Concern, who argued that the law was discriminatory and in breach of the EU's Equal Treatment at Work Directive.

Employees do have the right to formally request to carry on working beyond 65, but business owners are under no legal obligation to grant this request.