1950s women "Fight Back Rally"

Can't believe some of the posts here. The issue of notice of changes to state pension has been the main problem, not the changes themselves.Financial planning is key as you get older, particularly if you're relying on a state pension.
And to say rallies/protests don't effect change is not true..equal rights for women, black people, gay and transgender as well as workers rights have all involved democratic protests. Or would you rather live in China? Protests are often when other channels have failed. Should we just roll over and accept what we're told?

As a woman born in 1961 ( so now aged 62 , I have to say that us woman born in the early 60s were also given the news that pension age will be changed. I have full NI contributions but have to wait until 67 until I get mine. Also aggrieved about the bus pass !

I genuinely did not know till I was 58 and preparing for retirement, the lady in the tax office that told me that so far she had never spoken to any woman that had actually had a notification letter.

I too have been affected by the pension rule changes & feel very aggrieved by the lack of communication given by the government . I’m a member of WASPI too and support the campaign but wouldn’t be able to go to the London Rally . Having watched Martin Lewis show this week I doubt whether any compensation or real action now will be forthcoming but I applaud everyone for not giving up .

I read the papers and always have. I agree with equalising the pension age between genders. This should follow a working life of equality. You may have forgotten, but women born before 1959 DID NOT experience equality in their working lives.

I didn't know that the age had equalised "decades ago". I did not receive any letter or see it advertised. I have a print out from the pension agency, dated 2016 saying my pension will be paid on my 60th birthday.
The financial ombudsman has found that I am one of many thousands of women who were not informed. It was NOT well known.
When I started work (1974) women were not allowed to join the company pension scheme. It was legal to pay us a different rate for the same job. Not all jobs were available to us, it was perfectly legal to refuse a woman a job on the basis of being female. Most jobs had a "women's rate" and were lower paid. It's just the way it was. But we were promised that we would have a state pension earlier than men, at 60.
If I had had sufficient notice, I would have made different arrangements for my financial future.
If I had sufficient notice, I wouldn't have given up work to care for sick elderly parents, using my savings in the belief that I would get a pension at 60.
I'd happily go back to work, if someone would employ me Obviously social services would need to take over the over the caring role that I currently do full time. I'd have to live with that, but guilt over such things is fairly normal for women.
I'd rather work outside of the home and contribute to getting a full pension. Obviously, I haven't enough contributions as I have not been employed since I left a well paid professional role at 58.
Getting work in your 50s is hard, it's almost impossible in your 60s. No-one wants older workers, especially ones with caring responsibilities. And I have tried!
Waspi women do not want the pension age changing. They do want compensation for fact that they were not informed in time to make preparations for their financial future.

Thanks for starting this thread Hippe20. As I have stated previously in relation to other protests, the fact that it might ‘not make a difference’ should not deter us from having our voices heard. It is accepted by the Ombudsman that there was maladministration by the DWP regarding the management of the pension age rise for women. (Apparently they successfully managed the ONE YEAR pension age increase for men!) I believe in equality and it is right that women and men receive their state pension at the same age. This is not the argument here. The issue is the DWP’s maladministration. I was expecting to receive my state pension at 60. Working in a highly stressful job, I had made arrangements to reduce my hours to part time to coincide with this. However, I was forced to continue working full time for a further six years. This had a hugely detrimental impact on my physical and mental health and, since retiring a year ago, I have been beset with health problems. I find it disappointing to read some comments on this thread that appear to dismiss the issues that many 1950’s women have suffered. Many of us were not informed of a SIX year increase.

I agree with OVERTHEMOONGRAN. I received notice and worked until 68 as did my late mother. The information as I recall was in newspapers and on TV news programmes. Take notice of what's going on around you.

I've just received my pension last year after waiting the six years dumped on us. I worked almost 40 years and it an ok pension but I'm furious at the nearly £60k they've STOLEN from me!!!!!
I wouldn't be traipsing down to London anyway it would cost well in excess of £400 ! And for what?

I think we need to remember women weren’t even allowed to open their own bank accounts until 1975

Well, I opened one when I started work, back in 1969. A proper current account.

Had a Trustee Savings deposit account in my own name before then.

Retirement age is or has been raised in practically every European country, and if you in the UK were warned in advance then you are more fortunate than people in many other countries, where governments passed laws with very little warning.

And yes, we too were told it is necessary because of the longevity nowadays and the falling birth rate.

No one has yet tried to make it easier for young people to have families or even get jobs (which they might just be old-fashioned enough to consider necessary before deciding to start families) or bothered to take into account that those of us who live longer than our parents did, do not neccesarily remain strong and healthy up to the age of 70 - which is when retirement will be possible for those who are in their forties and fifties now.

I applaud those who rally in protest, and frankly am shocked so many of you seem to consider the inconvenience to those passing Parliament more important than protest rallies.

Dizzyribs

I read the papers and always have. I agree with equalising the pension age between genders. This should follow a working life of equality. You may have forgotten, but women born before 1959 DID NOT experience equality in their working lives.

I didn't know that the age had equalised "decades ago". I did not receive any letter or see it advertised. I have a print out from the pension agency, dated 2016 saying my pension will be paid on my 60th birthday.
The financial ombudsman has found that I am one of many thousands of women who were not informed. It was NOT well known.
When I started work (1974) women were not allowed to join the company pension scheme. It was legal to pay us a different rate for the same job. Not all jobs were available to us, it was perfectly legal to refuse a woman a job on the basis of being female. Most jobs had a "women's rate" and were lower paid. It's just the way it was. But we were promised that we would have a state pension earlier than men, at 60.
If I had had sufficient notice, I would have made different arrangements for my financial future.
If I had sufficient notice, I wouldn't have given up work to care for sick elderly parents, using my savings in the belief that I would get a pension at 60.
I'd happily go back to work, if someone would employ me Obviously social services would need to take over the over the caring role that I currently do full time. I'd have to live with that, but guilt over such things is fairly normal for women.
I'd rather work outside of the home and contribute to getting a full pension. Obviously, I haven't enough contributions as I have not been employed since I left a well paid professional role at 58.
Getting work in your 50s is hard, it's almost impossible in your 60s. No-one wants older workers, especially ones with caring responsibilities. And I have tried!
Waspi women do not want the pension age changing. They do want compensation for fact that they were not informed in time to make preparations for their financial future.

Why haven't you got enough contributions? Did you take an extended break for family? I took 8 years,' break but I didn't pay the ' reduced contributions ' and maintained the full stamp as it was known despite pressure from employers to make me accept the lesser rate which would have virtually slashed my pension in half now! I know many who did fall for that one to their utter despair now. Also many many dreadful employers were not paying the stamp when they should unbeknown to the women concerned.

I knew for years that I wouldn’t receive my pension at 60. The date move twice The first date was to have been when I was 63.5 and the second was 3 weeks before my 65 birthday.
It does puzzle me that so many women seem to have been unaware of the changes, but there you go. I’m afraid that I can’t see the Government paying compensation.

homefarm

I agree with OVERTHEMOONGRAN. I received notice and worked until 68 as did my late mother. The information as I recall was in newspapers and on TV news programmes. Take notice of what's going on around you.

Bit glib. Not everyone has the time money or inclination to buy papers and sit watching TV news when working full time and keeping family going. Maybe you had an occupation that allowed for leisure time and working to 68 was an attractive option in a pleasant less taxing job?

Government were heard to gloat about how much had been saved by doing this. It was not done with proper consideration for those it would affect…regardless of notification. It would have been fairer to have raised it for those just entering their work life not those about to leave it. It gave many little, or no chance, for any alternative arrangement and has put many women into poverty. The same women who had greatly reduced rights during their working life and have constantly been treated as second class citizens. This rally would not be needed if the media were giving full and proper voice to the issues these women face. It has to take place at the chosen venue as that is where the government is. These women are mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, and cousins of people working now….and they need the support of all….not just the few.

Aware or not the fact remains that we have had 6years worth of pension simply stolen from us. Paying in at a rate accomodating retirement at 60 then left 6 years without pension on a whim? It's not what we do in UK -its the way in which we do it. Germany is also increasing age to 67 for both but scaling over time gradually and will be achieved no earlier than 2029, not a guillotining of funds and stripping us of our earned money, to spend on what? HS1/2/3 Boris bikes or some other utter waste of our money.......

Well said worthingpatchworker!

But the money we paid in paid for the pensions of our parents’ generation. Our pensions are funded by our children.

I am a waspi myself and lucky enough to have been able to suffer the six years of state pension taken from me without having to work on full time. Many ladies would have planned on the state pension being paid from the age of 60 and, even if they were told of the changes a few years prior to reaching 60, would have been unable to financially plan to cover such a loss. The sums are anything up to £60k and ladies affected deserve to have their say. I appreciated the age must change but at least give people time to make up the difference through private pensions or additional savings hence a warning at least 15 years before the new pension age is implemented should have been given. It’s always those who can least afford it who suffer most. And yes, I paid 48 years of full class 1 NI contributions so looking forward to receiving my first state pension payment later this year unlike some who may never see it.

I absolutely think pension ages had to be equalised between men and women. My complaint is that they should have been done more gradually. Many of our generation of women didn't have careers or well paid jobs due to child care. So many don't have works pensions. Whereas many men have works pensions which may allow them to retire before state pension age if necessary or desired. I am lucky to have had decent jobs and two work pensions. Yet my private pensions are worth under half those of my husband's pension.

Not everyone has the time money or inclination to buy papers and sit watching TV news when working full time and keeping family going
Nonsense
Perfectly possible to work full time until 65, bring up children, look after elderly parents and read newspapers, watch and listen to daily news and find out about pensions.
The onus is on you to ascertain your future.

Well said eazybee. 👏👏👏

Overthemoongran

I was affected by the rise in the pension age, but I was given plenty of notice, I cannot understand why some of us would be told and others not? I have always read everything official that pops through my letterbox, I do wonder if some of those claiming they had no notice are the same people that just throw brown envelopes in the bin.

No. When I realised how few people had been told about the changes, I couldn't remember whether I had got a letter myself, so I used FOI to ask for copies of anything I had been sent, and was told that no, there was nothing. I am not in the habit of throwing away correspondence, and yes, I was aware of the changes, but I Did Not Get A Letter.

I don't know how often people have to say it. Whether you (generic) were notified or not, there are other women who didn't. I have met plenty of them. What are they going to gain by pretending?

Whether women should have the same retirement age as men is a different question. That is not what is being argued by WASPI (of which I am not a member - in fact I find it rather irritating that the name is used to signify all women born in the 50s who missed out on the pension they expected).

Similarly, the way the scheme is organised doesn't matter to WASPI either. Yes, each generation pays for the one before them, rather than accruing a 'pot' of their own, but the point is that this was done without objection because people expected to get a pension in their turn. Nobody had a choice about paying - it was a compulsory payment. Nobody has a 'contract' to say that they are entitled to benefits or NHS treatment in return for contributions either, but similarly, it's not unreasonable to expect either or both when you need them, if you have paid in for decades. It's a moral contract.

The question WASPI is asking is whether the changes were notified to those affected with enough time for them to make such plans as they could be reasonably expected to make in order to make up the loss of six years' pension.

Those who can't accept that because they knew about it, and/or they were able to fund another source of income to compensate, that everyone else did are being very narrow-minded, IMO, and the same applies to being contracted out. I can't remember how I knew about that, either. There may have been a note with my payslip, or I may have read something in the paper. Again, though, just because some are aware doesn't mean that everyone was. Most of those retiring now will have been quite young when opting out started, and with the best will in the world, if something is going to happen decades later, and you are busy, mentally filing it under 'worry about that later' is a fairly natural response, surely. It's probably what I did, as I have no recollection of finding out that it had happened. There are also people who moved to a contracted out job during the time it was happening, and had no idea of the difference between their new pension and their old one (if they had one, which not everyone did, or does).

I don't understand why people saying that women did know about the changes think they would lie? What could possibly be gained? If there is ever to be compensation (unlikely) it can't just be given to those who say they were not informed - it would have to go to everyone. There is just no incentive.

Gabrielle56

I've just received my pension last year after waiting the six years dumped on us. I worked almost 40 years and it an ok pension but I'm furious at the nearly £60k they've STOLEN from me!!!!!
I wouldn't be traipsing down to London anyway it would cost well in excess of £400 ! And for what?

How do you work out that nearly £60k has been stolen from you? I think you should go back and do your sums again.

Gabrielle56

Aware or not the fact remains that we have had 6years worth of pension simply stolen from us. Paying in at a rate accomodating retirement at 60 then left 6 years without pension on a whim? It's not what we do in UK -its the way in which we do it. Germany is also increasing age to 67 for both but scaling over time gradually and will be achieved no earlier than 2029, not a guillotining of funds and stripping us of our earned money, to spend on what? HS1/2/3 Boris bikes or some other utter waste of our money.......

That's what happened in the UK with the main rise in the 1990s. It was introduced with plenty of notice and gradually.

for women aged 64 (now) and 65 - they had notice . The women who are older were not told about the rise in age. I worked with women who expected to retire at 65 but were told they had to work to 62/63 with only a few months notice. They did not get sufficient notice. Any compensation will be minimal - possibly not enough to cover the train fare to go to London. The final report is expected around May this year. What is the point of the march? what will it achieve?