A pensioner is a person who receives a pension, most commonly because of retirement from the workforce. This is a term typically used in the United Kingdom (along with OAP, initialism of old-age pensioner), Ireland and Australia where someone of pensionable age may also be referred to as an "old age pensioner". In the United States, the term retiree is more common, and in New Zealand, the term superannuitant is commonly used. In many countries, increasing life expectancy has led to an expansion of the numbers of pensioners, and they are a growing political force.^{[citation needed]}