Injustice of Women’s pension age increasing by 6 years

I had assumed I would retire at 60 but got notice at the last minute that I would now retire at 62.5 If I had been 3 months older it would have stayed at 60 I was born in July 1953 and the cut off point for the change was in April 1953. I paid extra stamps to cover the years I stayed home with 3 children but apart from them I worked full time since I was 16. The change meant that even with the extra payments when I claimed my state pension I didn't get quite the full amount. I retired a year early from the NHS ( my job changed and was so stressful I couldn't bear to work it another year) so I lost 10% of my work pension doing that. I left an abusive marriage at a similar time and walked away with no share of ex's pension because his constant delaying/ obstructing meant my divorce fees cost so much that it used up the whole of my lump sum when I left. The two work pensions I have in my own right are very small and when the tax is taken every month they are tiny. I now manage only by continuing to work part time and the way I see it will always have to work as I just couldn't pay my outgoings if I didn't. I can't downsize any more I already live in a (lovely) one bedroom flat. So yes I think we have all had a rubbish deal but if you have a partner to help with finances count yourself lucky.

I think the increase in women's pension ages has been appalling handled. I knew about, and didn't have a problem with, the 1995 Act which increased our pension age, as it gave a long period of notice before retirement. But what outraged me was the 2011 Act by the Conservative Government (George Osborne) to increase it yet again, with only a few years notice before retirement. Also that particular timetable was punitive. A three month difference in age resulted in delays of a year extra, disgusting. Typical Tory - I hate them with a passion. They are systematically destroying everything remotely decent in our country. Just governing for themselves and their tax dodging, corporate cronies.

Yes Greta8 my SP was increased twice. First from age 60 to 63 1/2, then again to 64 1/2 by the 2011 Act. So this 2nd increase of a whole year, was only with 6 years to go! How many Men would stand for that? Just 6 years notice of an increase!

The 2011 Act was the Conservatives and the Liberals in Coalition, which proves that all politicians are the same and just looking after their own interests. We are just the masses who are of no importance until Election time!

TwiceAsNice, I don't think you are right when you say that if you had been 3 months older you would have got your pension at 60. I was born in late 1951 and got mine at 61 and 8 months. Also, like many of the rest of you, I had NI contributions credited while I was at home with the children as I was getting Child Benefit, so what with going back to work and paying up a few extra years (which I was offered the chance to do in, I think, the late 90s), I had a full contribution record.

Like tanith, I was aware for a long time that the pension age was going up, but I do agree that the most recent increases have been done too quickly.

I was born in 1962 and cannot
Retire until I am 67+ . I will have worked for 51 years with only a few months break !

I was born 1955 and cannot retire util im 66 (I will be 63 this year)

I’m wishing my life away biker it’s rubbish isn’t it ?

but! I must admit I love my little part time job at well known Supermarket...after yrs of looking after dh ( which I would do all over again) Going to work at least stops my mind wandering..and dwelling at least for a short while.

I will be worse off when I retire so cnt say Im looking forward to it, hopefully my supermarket will let me carry on if I feel like it ..

Another one born in 1955. It's not just the loss of pension that I and so many others were contracted to receive but the the other things that are delayed too - the receipt of a bus pass and help with fuel costs.

Mhair Black spoke in Parliament about the 413% rise in women claiming ESA as a result of being denied their pensions at 60. The now disgraced Damien Green brushed aside her question saying (incorrectly) that the Scottish parliament had the power to act on women' s pensions claims.

Ms Black has campaigned tirelessly on this issue not just for women in Scotland. Many of her speeches are on YouTube. This is one of that states the position very clearly. www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8ITX19bSbQ

The cost of paying our pensions has been estimated at 8bn. It cost 10bn to bomb Syria. An estimated 7bn to refurbish Westminster. As Ms Black said, it's austerity of choice and WASPI women are the ones being made to suffer.

I remember flitting about one morning, half listening to the breakfast programme when I heard a comment about women’s pensions. All my information about the changes, I believe came from the media or by searching on line. My thought was-well we already know about this. Not so , it was another little ‘tweak’.
I got my pension last year at 63+3/4. I’m still working part time but I like what I do and can be flexible, I don’t think I’d be so happy if it was a stressful or physically difficult job.

I also have another 6 years to work but it’s a relief really because, due to circumstances, I have very little savings and no private pension and I have no idea how I will manage.

The other sting in the tail is that under the new rules many people, myself included, must have 35 qualifying years to get the full state pension. Originally it was 30, and now I'm scrubbing around to pay for 5 more years. I had better live till 100 or there will be trouble!

About a decade ago I was sent a letter saying I would retire at 62 instead of 60. It's now going to be 66/67 with no prior notification, but I have had the devil of a job getting information or co-operation out of the HMRC or National Insurance (and a few months ago my phone bill was 33% higher than normal because of waiting around on premium lines to talk to the next person I was passed along to). I eventually found an old private pension I'd been tracking down for years. I was supposed to have been able to access some of the funds some years ago and could really do with them now when - like many of the WASPI women - I struggle to persuade employers that I am not past it. This has led to a thoroughly depressing legal requirement to have an independent financial advisor who has not listened to my husband or me, has made all sorts of wrong assumptions about our needs, disguises everything in a tangle of confusing language and almost bamboozled us into tying up that small but badly-needed money in a bank run by - guess what? - independent financial advisors. We don't think I'll ever get the money and have cancelled what would have been our second proper holiday in 20 years and a course I had planned for years to study. I am very grateful to Mhairi Black for all she has said on this subject and - like many others - I have no problem with equality with men, but would have been more impressed with a bit more official notice and a lot of practical, easily-understood help to cope with the financial implications and 6 years of struggle when I expected to be winding down.

My DH and I have a 10 year age gap and had hoped that we could retire together (just on state pension) when he was 70 and I was 60. He is 67 now and will have to work another 11 years which I doubt will be possible. Quite what we will do, I have no idea.

Although I got my pension at 60, it is quite small - I took about 5 years out when the children were small and missed out on the crediting of contributions for domestic responsibilities, so was not happy about that. But we had planned for the future in that knowledge.

I do think it is very bad that people had made their plans but found themselves having to work longer for their pensions with little notice.

I got my pension at 60 so I am not really in a position to say anything....but I will.

I get full state pension Lucky despite having something like 23 years of home responsibility so I am confused about why you are lacking some. My pension is, in fact, more than DH's.

It is unfortunate that people are having to work longer (men as well as women) but we are, generally, fitter, healthier and living longer. It seems rather silly to retire at 60 or 65 and then live another 20 years taking money from the state (ok, one will have contributed but hardly enough). Most people could work until they are 70. DH eventually stopped at 71 and I'm not sure that I will actually ever stop doing all the things I do and have always done.

I believe that when the state pension was introduced men lived around 5 years beyond their retirement and women a little longer.

It is anomalous that women should be able to retire at a younger age than men especially in today's world.

Sadly, it is our generation that are having to deal with this but some people would say that it's fair as we are, after all the baby boomers.

I'll go and hide now.

I meant to say that I think it was appalling that it happened so quickly.

I think these credits started after I had my children and was at home looking after them kitty.

I think the Home Responsibilities Protection started in 1977? so I missed out on a few years too.

I think the WASPI women should have received much more notice in order to plan for their futures; that is what is so unfair.
I still don't understand why - surely if the pension age had been increased for women to 65 and kept at 65 for men, then there would be more jobs available for the young unemployed?

The law to increase women's state pension age to be equal with men was brought in 1995 so plenty of notice. It started to increase in 2010 so it is hardly a recent thing.

I am 58 and have just taken early retirement due to overpaying into my occupational pension as did my DH. I would never dream to be treated differently to him especially as men in general die earlier than women. Spare a thought for the 30 somethings who will probably have to work until 70 or beyond unless they pay into a private pension.

If our children have to work until 70+
It is unlikely they will be able to provide child care for their grandchildren.

Most of my friends and myself and DH have all retired in late 50s and early 60s and I tell my DDS to overpay their mortgage and their pensions so hopefully they wont have to wait until state pension age to retire. Some of my acquaintances or friends are still working and planning to until 66 which is the SPA and one most indignant one was most adamant she did not know she could overpay on her occupational pension so she too could retire earlier than age 66.

People should take responsibility for their own retirement plans and not leave it until the last minute to think about how they will finance it and whether they will be able or want to work until 66 or 67. We always knew my DH would have to travel for his job and it would be long hours so we planned to go at age 60. In the end we were able to go 2 years earlier but we started thinking about it in our early 30s.

It is very easy these days with all the online planners and you can get a state pension forecast online too so there is no excuse for not being informed. Apathy is not an excuse.

I didn't realise, from what I had understood this was introduced without enough notice, thanks cornishclio.

My eldest is 47 this year, Lucky but my youngest a mere 30! But I really can't remember how it worked now - except, for once, 5 children seemed to work for me!

It seems rather silly to retire at 60 or 65 and then live another 20 years taking money from the state
kittylester I do know several people who, having paid full contributions all their lives (and into private schemes) died before retiring (one died just two weeks before) or shortly afterwards.