State pension rise

I have never read the papers, never had time, and I rarely watch the news as it’s too depressing.

How on earth do you know what’s going on in the world? How are you able to make an informed decision when it comes to voting?

Sorchame

I'm 64, so another WASPI.

I paid N.I. like everyone else during my working life, for my parents generation state pension. Without a murmur I add...

So when, and how, have the tables turned, that the younger generation begrudge, or are being influenced to begrudge, the same for us?

And that those women who received their pensions at 60 joining in the melee?

I absolutely rely on notification from the powers that be, to personally inform of material change.

I have kept every letter sent me by the Department of Works and Pensions, Social Security, HMRC et al, since I started work at the age of 17, yet did not receive one informing me of the change to my state retirement age.

I am not stupid, ill informed or unread. It makes me so angry that there are those that say I should have known, and ignorance is no excuse. How does anyone know what they should know without being informed?? Crazy...

Same age, totally agree.

It makes you wonder if those who knew were actually informed by DWP?

The papers the age rise was advertised in were the times and the telegraph. I have never read the papers, I've never had time, and I rarely watch the news as it's too depressing. I should have been informed in person - they're quick enough to write when they want more money. Does that make me stupid? Or just stupid enough to trust the government to have my best interests at heart?

The triple lock must stay if we are to have any reasonable standard of living. Reduce foreign aid, reduce what is paid to illegal immigrants, and allow us some quality of life in our old age. We contributed to the State all our working lives and deserve better treatment.

Mumofthree

Germanshepherdsmum

I wonder which newspapers some people read. It didn’t apply to me but I was fully aware of the increase in state pension age.

Well, considering Michael Mansfield agreed the Financial Times were the one paper to inform us and (DWP) have already admitted only a very small number of letters were ever sent out I consider you one of the fortunate ones to have been aware GSM. However,like I said before 3.8million women had no idea until it was too late to do anything about it, in my case that would have been impossible anyway as I was working in a sewing factory on minimum wage bringing up 3 girls after a traumatic divorce. That doesn't make me unread, thick, blinkered or anything else.

So it would have been impossible for you to have done anything about the rise (according to you), so it wouldn't have mattered whether you'd been told or not. In other words, the lack of information didn't cause you any harm.

Mumofthree

Sorchame

So the only way to have found out was to read about it in the press...and tough luck if you didn't?
The lack of empathy shown is pretty sad...

Exactly, women were totally kept in the dark, this is all on record. I don't get why the lack of empathy except from the words 'it doesn't apply to me' just reading some of the really snarky posts about how we should have known, I have no words.....it might be that I should blame myself for not reading the FT but I was busy trying to make ends meet and the Internet didn't come into the public domain until April 1993, a computer was a million miles out of my budget...

No, women weren't kept in the dark. In any case, the 2011 changes affected men too.

Mumofthree

Aveline

Germanshepherdsmum you may have been fortunate enough to have heard in advance about the rise in pension age but many of us were not in that happy position. We aren't all stupid on here. 😑

Totally agree with you, I had no idea either until I was 58 and looking to retire in 2 years to help with G/children. I despair when folk say we should have known, 3.8million of us did NOT know as we didn't read the Financial Times that printed a small cartoon pic regarding the increase. I was busy bringing my daughters up on minimum wage.

You didn't need to read the FT in the mid 1990s or 2011 to find out about the age increases. It was in many newspapers and on TV.

Sorchame

So the only way to have found out was to read about it in the press...and tough luck if you didn't?
The lack of empathy shown is pretty sad...

Exactly, women were totally kept in the dark, this is all on record. I don't get why the lack of empathy except from the words 'it doesn't apply to me' just reading some of the really snarky posts about how we should have known, I have no words.....it might be that I should blame myself for not reading the FT but I was busy trying to make ends meet and the Internet didn't come into the public domain until April 1993, a computer was a million miles out of my budget...

yaiyai

People and the government say that pensions are a ‘benefit’ so how come when I am bombarded with adverts offering free boiler replacement etc it isn’t? As previously said, as long as we can afford to keep every Tom, Dick or Harry landing on our shores, then we can afford a decent pension.

I don't think that refugees have anything to do with the pension, but your point about only Pension Credit counting as a benefit when it comes to allowances/discounts etc is a good one. It can't work both ways.

I'm another waiting til 66 (another 2 years), and my objections to these - now routine - 'discussions' from the government about the affordability of having older people in society are twofold. The first objection is that I paid the pension of the previous generation from the age of 16, and whereas there was never a written contract with the government it was understood that this would be reciprocated when it was my turn. I had children, but never got pension contributions made for me. I didn't mind that others didn't work and did get theirs paid until we were told that the reason 6 years were being added was because it was unaffordable. To me, if savings have to be made, it would make sense not to pay those who didn't contribute because they could afford not to work, not to penalise those who did work (either because they wanted to, or because they had no financial choice).

Secondly, I object to the way that pensioners are not able to plan anything. Young people have far more options than older ones when it comes to changing jobs, taking extra work, retraining etc. I knew when I left work that I was giving up a regular salary, and did the sums based on knowing that I had 8 years to go before my SPA. The triple lock means that people know that even if their pension doesn't go up in real terms, it will keep their standard of living pretty much as it is, so they can do things like buy on HP, or commit to other financial obligations. The threat of losing the triple lock, and worse, the threat of mean-testing removes agency from older people, as our futures are in the hands of others. It's infantilising - treating us as children being doled out pocket money that can be withheld, instead of adults who have kept their side of the bargain, which was to pay for the previous generation and have the subsequent generation pay for us.

The fact that there was a 'baby boom' must have been known when it happened. Successive governments should have planned for it, and the fact that they didn't can't be blamed on us. Yes, young people have a raw deal, but linking that to pensions is a devious ploy to distract us all from the fact that we have been sold out too. I think we should all stick together, and fight for a cradle-to-grave deal that ensures that everyone pays in, and everyone gets an education, decent housing, health care and a fair pension in return. If we all pay in (unless there is good reason not to), and maybe pay a bit more than at present, it should be affordable.

Germanshepherdsmum

I wonder which newspapers some people read. It didn’t apply to me but I was fully aware of the increase in state pension age.

Well, considering Michael Mansfield agreed the Financial Times were the one paper to inform us and (DWP) have already admitted only a very small number of letters were ever sent out I consider you one of the fortunate ones to have been aware GSM. However,like I said before 3.8million women had no idea until it was too late to do anything about it, in my case that would have been impossible anyway as I was working in a sewing factory on minimum wage bringing up 3 girls after a traumatic divorce. That doesn't make me unread, thick, blinkered or anything else.

No I believe it should be kept. The state pension is pitiful compared to other countries and I can’t see how those with only a state pension cope. But maybe it would be good to raise the state pension for those who rely on it and stop taking tax from pensioners who have less than 20k pension income. Personally the state increase means I pay more tax so give with one hand and take with the other! We’ve all paid for our pensions….it NOT a benefit it’s an insurance!

growstuff

It's still below the real cost of living increase for those on low incomes, who can only afford the "basics".

Some people paid into the pension pot for over 50 years. The government should have ring fenced a proportion of NI Contributions for pensions. What annoys me is those who didn't work and found a way to live off benefits, still get the same as those who did work. The Pension Credit tops up their state pension. A chap that I know of only worked 8years, married in the early 60's, had 6 children, was always "out of work" and then developed various ailments that stopped him from having a job. Didn't stop him working on the side though, gardening, odd jobs etc., he used to brag that when he retired he would be collect the same pension as those who worked. He did too, because Pension credit topped up his low pension. Those of us on a basic pension exist, we can't 'live', and many people worked in ordinary jobs that didn't pay enough to pay into a private pension. MP's do not really know what it's like to juggle money to get by. Three meals a day and heat on in the winter is not possible now everything costs so much.

Aveline

Germanshepherdsmum you may have been fortunate enough to have heard in advance about the rise in pension age but many of us were not in that happy position. We aren't all stupid on here. 😑

Totally agree with you, I had no idea either until I was 58 and looking to retire in 2 years to help with G/children. I despair when folk say we should have known, 3.8million of us did NOT know as we didn't read the Financial Times that printed a small cartoon pic regarding the increase. I was busy bringing my daughters up on minimum wage.

I was in exactly the same position as you Chardy except that I have only one child. I too worked after he went to bed, every night. I actually couldn’t afford magazines but I always read a newspaper (commuting, eating lunch) and listened to the news whilst preparing breakfast and doing chores. There is no excuse not to be informed.

Growstuff
Newspapers and TV news told people in the 1990s that pension age for women was rising to 65. There were published charts, which weren't difficult to understand. I remember hearing/reading about it and very quickly checking the details because I was one of the first women to be forced to wait until 65.
Please find a copy of these 1990s easy-to-read charts because I have not only never seen them, in ten years of following this shambles closely since retirement, I've never heard them mentioned.

Btw in mid-90s, I was single mum to 2 school-age children, working a demanding job and trying to keep a roof over our heads. I not only didn't have time for the 'women's magazines' that that the Monopoly set and the chatting dogs appeared in to inform us, I'd start work again as soon as the kids were in bed.
Not everyone had the luxury of sitting chilling in the evening, then or now.

(And The Times said that SPA would go up to 65 IN 2020, not by 2020)

People are getting up in arms about the triple lock but I suspect that most people are unaware of what it actually is. When it was introduced it was intended that the state pension would increase by the highest of three things - the rate of inflation, wage growth or 2.5%.

I've been receiving the SP for the last 15 years and as far as I can remember the annual increase each year was 2.5%. Because of the high rate of inflation the increase this year (2023/2024) was higher. Apparently the increase for 2024/2025 is going to be at an higher rate than 2.5%.

I dislike the way in which this discussion turns different generations against each other. Throughout my adult life I worked and paid tax and NIC, as did my parents and grandfathers. Our payments benefited these three generations, not only during our working lives but in our retirement. As one generation disappears, the next generations appear and they will certainly be benefiting from my contributions. Sadly my father died when he was 55 and so did not receive the SP. My mother died at 64 and so received 4 years SP.

As someone said in an earlier thread, if the SP is reduced now there will not be a good basis for those who hope to receive it in future.

maddyone I’m so sorry for the situation you found yourself in. It’s despicable! I believe in the equalisation of the SPA for men and women but it should / could have been implemented in a much fairer way.

Having lived in France for 20yrs then got divorced (I came back with nothing)my pension is £528 per month!
Yes I get pension credit - but life is a struggle -
Politicians always go back on their word!
So who is the easy target for the government - pensioners ! They must be careful : we are the voters!
Not all pensioners are wealthy, majority struggle -
No government must save funds from wastage! Wastage from NHS - Covid spending - expenses, second homes, subsidised meals!

People and the government say that pensions are a ‘benefit’ so how come when I am bombarded with adverts offering free boiler replacement etc it isn’t? As previously said, as long as we can afford to keep every Tom, Dick or Harry landing on our shores, then we can afford a decent pension.

Better to increase taxes then reduce pensions or freeze them.

It’s depends on what the govt think we can and cannot afford, doubt it’ll continue after 2024, and I’m pretty sure it would have been gone by now if a general election wasn’t planned in 2024. Very grateful as it’ll boost my Occ pension and I’ve waited, like all WASPI’s, an extra 6 years, my state pension due Dec 2024. Still though one of the lowest state pensions in Europe

Another WASPI here! Over 250,000 women born in the 50s have died without ever receiving their state pension, saving the treasury billions of pounds - money that those women paid into the system throughout their working lives. We, as women born in the 50s, were discriminated against in the workplace in the 60s and 70s and are now being discriminated against once again. I believe the government would never have ‘stolen’ 6 years of pension rights from men! It’s sad to hear that some fellow women don’t support the WASPI campaign. So, I agree with some posters on here, the triple lock should remain - not only for us but for women coming down the ‘pension line’.

State pensioners paid into NI for decades to get their pensions. I do not think of it as a benefit. Many state pensioners have no extra income and are not fit enough to work to top up their pension

This is why the freezing of the personal allowance is so unfair and insidious. Some pensioners are fit and smart enough to get themselves a little cash in hand side hustle but many are no longer able to do physical work. And perhaps they dont have the education or computer skills to earn money online.

If I could not sell antiques I would find something else to sell. And there are probably a dozen ways I could make money online. Not everyone is in that happy position and is going to get clobbered by the taxman.

There used to be an enhanced tax allowance for pensioners to take account of their comparative inability to improve their incomes but that was axed by a corrupt chanellor called George Osborne. Cursed be his name and may he rot in hell.

Me too, a WASPI woman, had to wait
6 years, felt so cheated. Nevermind, can't turn the clock back but I did write all the required letters to DWP. No success.

When I was a child my Grandmother had to retire. No choice then! She told us she would be unable to take us out very much now or buy the little treats we were used to. I tried to understand how Nan was meant to pay all the same bills on a third of the money she used to get by working but was told I was too young to understand. When it came to my parents time to retire, again whether they wanted too or not, I still could not understand how they had to pay all the same bills etc on a lot less money. Now at 78 I am still wondering how some of us who could not have a private pension scheme, mine through ill health causing early medical retirement, are meant to cope on the small amount of pension we are granted? I struggle all the time with rent & bills & did not expect my old age to be such a struggle! Some younger people think we all have a wonderful life with money given to us that we do not deserve! I will die still trying to understand what I could not understand at very young age! Most Politicians always have & always will have no idea what it is like to try to cope with very little income when they have 2 or 3 incomes & big houses! On reincarnation I hope to be a well off Politician 🙄

I agree that there should not be a 2 (or is it 3) tier state pension system. Perhaps that needs addressing urgently.
I don;t think I was informed personally of the change in age for WASPIs ( I was aware of it so planned accordingly) so yes any new changes should be communicated directly - perhaps via pay packets or with the P60 letters ( I know they are electronic now)

What happened to graduated pension contributions ( which I remember paying 50 years ago) - when did they get absorbed into NI? I vaguely remember they were mandatory even for teenagers as I was 50+ years ago.