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Nearly half of Scots aged 40 to 64 believe they will not have enough money to retire when they reach state pension age, a survey has suggested.

YouGov research for Age Scotland found 43% said they would not be able to afford to give up work at that point.

A total of 44% said they were planning to work into their late 60s and beyond to enjoy a better retirement lifestyle.

More than a third (36%) planned to continue working in their current job with the same hours.

One in four (25%) wanted to reduce their hours.

Not having enough money was the most common reason to continue working, according to the study commissioned by Age Scotland in partnership with Business in the Community (BITC).

More than a fifth (22%) cited enjoying the social side of working and 19% worried they would get bored or lonely at home.

Of those who expected to stop working or reduce their hours before their late 60s, nearly one in four (24%) said their job would be too physically demanding to continue, while 18% expected their health would not be good enough.

Adjust future plans

Almost one in four adults aged 40 to 64 said they have felt disadvantaged or treated negatively when at work or applying for jobs past the age of 40.

Age Scotland is now calling for a "career MoT" to be offered to everyone at age 50 to help people adjust future plans and pension savings.

Chief executive Brian Sloan said: "It's worrying that retirement seems increasingly unaffordable for a growing number of Scots.

"While there are various reasons people choose to keep working, money concerns are the main factor forcing them to work into their late 60s and beyond. At the same time, many feel they will need to reduce their hours or switch to a less physically demanding job.

"Of course many people choose to stay on at work because they enjoy the social side or want to share their skills. Yet instead of an ageing workforce being seen as a valuable asset, too many older workers continue to face negative perceptions or age discrimination.

"As the state pension age increases, working longer is set to become part of life. We're urging the Scottish government to continue to invest in our older workers, tackle barriers to working, and offer mid-career guidance to everyone who requires it."

YouGov surveyed 1,023 adults, of whom 442 were aged 40 to 64, online between 21 and 25 September.