Poll: Do you want to know your death date?

The skeleton of a man at Sozopol in Bulgaria, with an iron stake driven through his chest (Getty Images)

Here’s an equation. You have X years left to live. Do you want to know the value of X?

Lib Dem pensions minister Steve Webb – the man behind plans to give retirees access to all their pension funds – has suggested that this kind of information would be beneficial. Often people guess they’ll survive years less than they do. That means they run out of money. Ergo, says Webb, a simple test should be provided – based on gender, where you live, and whether you smoke.

Given the option, would you take the test?