WASPIs' Ten Thousand payment

I would have purchased more 'past added years' for my occupational pension.

Nannynoodles

Interesting that no one has yet come forward to say what they would have done differently if they had received individual notification.

Me personally, nothing. At 40 or 50 I was one who had no interest in pensions at all, (despite having an accountant who spelt it out regularly). To be honest, it was only a few months ago that I actually did the calculation for my own upcoming state pension. And it was only by reading GN that I realised the unfairness towards some groups of retirees. It seems wrong to me.
I'm not proud of my ignorance or insouciance, neither am I thick. I have no idea whether I was notified or not. There must be quite a few like me.

Well fortunately for me when I was made redundant at 60, I could choose not to have to find another job in favour of helping look after my grandchildren, as I’d always planned to do if needed when I retired.

But I paid my annual WASPI dues because I knew that not everyone was so lucky and that some women had their lives turned upside down by the maladministration of the DWP. I had my eyes opened by attending the WASPI demos and meeting women whose lives weren’t so easy.

Even from my own circle, I can give you an example. A woman with severe arthritis who gave in her notice because she was struggling, thinking she didn’t have long to go till her pension kicked in. Believe it or not, it was a shock to her to find out too late that she had 6 more years to go before she could get her pension. Shortly after that she found herself a widow, with children still in education, and forced to work three minimum wage cleaning jobs for an agency while in constant pain. She was treated appallingly by the agency and by benefits staff on top of this.

Perhaps just take a look at the WASPI website if you want more case histories.

Aveline

I would have purchased more 'past added years' for my occupational pension.

Had this option ceased when you became aware of the change in age ?

I shouldn’t have thought it had ended, but a person does need sufficient time for it to make an impact on their professional pension.

Maggiemaybe

Well fortunately for me when I was made redundant at 60, I could choose not to have to find another job in favour of helping look after my grandchildren, as I’d always planned to do if needed when I retired.

But I paid my annual WASPI dues because I knew that not everyone was so lucky and that some women had their lives turned upside down by the maladministration of the DWP. I had my eyes opened by attending the WASPI demos and meeting women whose lives weren’t so easy.

Even from my own circle, I can give you an example. A woman with severe arthritis who gave in her notice because she was struggling, thinking she didn’t have long to go till her pension kicked in. Believe it or not, it was a shock to her to find out too late that she had 6 more years to go before she could get her pension. Shortly after that she found herself a widow, with children still in education, and forced to work three minimum wage cleaning jobs for an agency while in constant pain. She was treated appallingly by the agency and by benefits staff on top of this.

Perhaps just take a look at the WASPI website if you want more case histories.

I think the additional issue here is someone having to work when they are physically unable to do so and not being able to claim appropriate benefits . This will undoubtedly become an inceasing problem for both men and women as the SP age gets shifted further upwards .

Sandytoes

Maggiemaybe

Well fortunately for me when I was made redundant at 60, I could choose not to have to find another job in favour of helping look after my grandchildren, as I’d always planned to do if needed when I retired.

But I paid my annual WASPI dues because I knew that not everyone was so lucky and that some women had their lives turned upside down by the maladministration of the DWP. I had my eyes opened by attending the WASPI demos and meeting women whose lives weren’t so easy.

Even from my own circle, I can give you an example. A woman with severe arthritis who gave in her notice because she was struggling, thinking she didn’t have long to go till her pension kicked in. Believe it or not, it was a shock to her to find out too late that she had 6 more years to go before she could get her pension. Shortly after that she found herself a widow, with children still in education, and forced to work three minimum wage cleaning jobs for an agency while in constant pain. She was treated appallingly by the agency and by benefits staff on top of this.

Perhaps just take a look at the WASPI website if you want more case histories.

I think the additional issue here is someone having to work when they are physically unable to do so and not being able to claim appropriate benefits . This will undoubtedly become an inceasing problem for both men and women as the SP age gets shifted further upwards .

Life expectancy might have increased hence the increase in age when SP is payable (as well as the fact that equalities laws meant men and women should receive pensions at the same age).

However, longevity doesn't necessarily mean good health in later years, nor the ability to carry on doing a physically demanding job.

I was short of the 39 years I needed for a full pension and have been told on GN I should have realised the implications of paying the Married Woman's Stamp for a while 55 years ago; however I still maintain we were lied to by our Public Service employer probably because it saved them money too. At the time, for us too, every penny counted towards buying our first house.
I could also have paid extra years but at the time the gamble wasn't worth it for me. Time has proved differently, thank goodness.

Whichever scheme, whatever changes are made in pension rules, it always seems that women lose out.

My mother paid the married woman’s stamp. She told me that no one ever asked her if that was what she wanted, let alone explain the consequences. She said she was simply put on that stamp automatically when she returned to work. I believe her.

maddyone

My mother paid the married woman’s stamp. She told me that no one ever asked her if that was what she wanted, let alone explain the consequences. She said she was simply put on that stamp automatically when she returned to work. I believe her.

Yes, I do too.

Thankfully, when I returned to work (after 1977) my employer said it wouldn't be allowed for new employees anyway.

I think it would help greatly if the benefits system so UC was more lenient towards women 60+ who find themselves unable to claim SP.

It is extremely hard to find suitable work unless you are physically able to do cleaning or care work.

The prospect of yet another rise in the SP age is very depressing.

Millie22 yes another rise in SP age is Depressing...the next reading of draft legislation has been listed for 18 April 2024...

Sorry Marydoll but I don’t know what AVG’s are.
I do agree with Sandytoes though that the main issue for me is expecting anyone to continue working, whether they be male or female, when they are no longer physically able to do so.
Certain professions are just not possible to continue with as you get older and that to me is the problem.
Others for example the Police and Firefighters can still retire in their early 50’s as friends of mine have, and while I am in no way suggesting they they remain on active service as such, eg on the beat and going into burning buildings, there is no reason why they couldn’t do advice, office, safety check type work instead. That to me is where the inequality lies.

Under the German system, people with a certain level of contributions have the option of taking their state pension a few years earlier at a reduced rate. Which seems very sensible to me.

Nannynoodles, sorry a typo! AVCs. AVG is a computer software program.

Like most beneficial schemes (teachers’, local government, etc), the police service scheme was revised long since, Nannynoodles. The option to retire in their 50s is only available to officers who joined many years ago and are still subject to the legacy scheme. The police pension is now payable at 60/65, depending on rank, and officers pay a minimum of 12.44% of their salary into the scheme.

I have friends who received pensions from banks at 50, and the schemes were non-contributory. I’m guessing they aren’t still in place either.

Though perhaps they are. A quick google has just taught me that prospective employees of the Bank of England are offered a non-contributory, career average pension giving you a guaranteed retirement benefit of 1/95th of your annual salary for every year worked.

Nannynoodles I personally know many active Police Officers retired mid 50s with a good lump sum retirement pension payment and the following week they became Police Staff earning above their police civilian staff…
And yes I would have bought AVCs years ago but was unaware I could- maybe I should have been more focused and due to health issues this was not on my radar

Good discussion on BBC 2 at the moment asking What is fair for WASPI women? Anyone ringing in?

maddyone

I shouldn’t have thought it had ended, but a person does need sufficient time for it to make an impact on their professional pension.

Absolutely

Maggiemaybe

Though perhaps they are. A quick google has just taught me that prospective employees of the Bank of England are offered ^a non-contributory, career average pension giving you a guaranteed retirement benefit of 1/95th of your annual salary for every year worked.^

I worked for RBS for about 8 years from 2000. Our pension was contributory but well matched and exceeded by RBS contribution.

I then moved across to the public sector and they had just changed their pension schemes so again mine was contributory

*Sandytoes" I didn't know the new state pension age was 66 until I notified my employer that I was retiring in 3 months. Too late to buy more past added years of occupational pension.

My husband has just told me that the report is being released today, at about lunchtime. I don’t know if this is correct, but he says he’s seen it reported today.

Yes. That's all over the news 🤞

Yes it’s Breaking News … but Ombudsman says‘ ‘strongly doubts DWP will provide remedy’ but is asking Parliament to intervene.. we don’t want an apology .. we want pension justice!

maddyone

My mother paid the married woman’s stamp. She told me that no one ever asked her if that was what she wanted, let alone explain the consequences. She said she was simply put on that stamp automatically when she returned to work. I believe her.

I agree, when I married in 1965 I was advised to change to the married women’s stamp and I didn’t know the implications until I had my first son and didn’t receive any maternity benefit. I stayed home for 10 years from 1966 with my two sons and didn’t receive NI credits because that wasn’t introduced until 1975 so there was a big gap in my NI record and until I realised the implications of that I couldn’t make up the shortfall, I did pay AVCs for a while but this only gave me just over £30 a month when I retired. There is more awareness now with sites like Money Saving Expert but I have made sure my sons and daughters-in-law are aware of the importance of pension arrangements.