Hi-just thought id share my thoughts for this thread. I was born in may 1954 so my pension age is now 66.5.
I first learnt that my pension age would change some years ago. My new retirement age was to be 62. I wasn't happy as I had hoped to retire at 60 as many of my peers were. My understanding of the situation was that this was an EU directive to begin to harmonise retirement age across Europe and between men and women. I lived with this for some time and became resigned to it. Then came another body blow. The new coalition government decided to escalate the harmonisation. My new retirement age became 66.5. I estimated I had lost somewhere in the region of £37 thousand pounds in lost pension payments. Not only that, the various perks of being in receipt of a state pension are also denied-a prime example is the free bus pass, winter fuel allowance etc
Again, I resigned myself to waiting even longer. But then came the really cruel blow. After asking for a forecast, and having far more qualifying years than actually needed, I found that my basic state pension was not the promised £150 or so. In fact, it would be just under £60 based on the new rules. Because of the transitional arrangements, I was quoted two amounts. The one based on the new rules and one based on the old. On the old rules, I will get £119. This is because I was contracted out for most of my working life. I had no choice about being contracted out. When I first started work , I worked for what was the DHSS. Then I went into nursing. There was no discussion on contracting out and what this may mean. This was what happened.
Had I been paying into a private scheme and so badly informed and treated, I could make a complaint. But there is no one to complain to when it's the state pension. My own MP voted for the changes, many mp's just shrug their shoulders and many younger people are unsympathetic as they have their own issues. But I do feel that the particular cohort of women I am part of have been harshly treated. The changes were to quick, poorly advertised and unduly harsh. And how many (not just women) understand how being contracted out could affect your state pension? How many people are blindly expecting to get the flat rate? I do believe that when the ones about to retire on the flat rate pension realise that they may not get the flat rate there will be an uproar.
Again, I have become resigned to what it to be. I can't change it. No one asked me what I thought about it. Public opinion is not sympathetic-I'm just another moaning woman whinging about being treated equally with a man for a change. The government are definitely not sympathetic. Decisions have been made and there no going back.
so hey, I'm done. just wanted to get that off my chest.