With more than half of Indigenous people dying before they can access the age pension, researchers have found simple changes to the system may reduce the disadvantage they face.

University of Queensland associate professor Levon Blue said everyone deserved to retire with dignity but the system was not set up with First Nations people in mind.

"The retirement income system in Australia was designed initially to meet the needs of male, white full-time public servants, and it's essentially a one-size-fits-all model," she told AAP.

"It doesn't take into consideration difference, especially differences in life expectancies."

It's not only the discrepancy in life expectancy impacting Indigenous people's superannuation and age pension.

University of New England Indigenous pro vice-chancellor

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