Is Ann Widdecombe right about females age of reirement?

Governments all over Europe are telling us that we will have to work longer because we live longer.

What they are refusing to consider is that we have contributed to pension schemes giving us the right to retire at 60, but they are now withholding the money we paid into the scheme until we reach 63 if we are lucky.

They are also ignoring the fact that a great number of people between the ages of 20 and 65 are out of work and desperate to get a job. They are not likely to get one, if the rest of us have to remain at work until we are approaching 70.

They have conveniently forgotten that for years they have told us that the birth-rate was falling, but how do they expect young people to want to start a family, if they are both out of work and living on minimum social security?

I realise we live longer now than our grandparents did, but that does not mean that we are as capable of doing a full weeks work as we were at 30.

Yes, I share your concerns petra I really do !

It upsets me to think that our lads are pretty much forced to pay into this "mickey mouse" scheme (because that's what they all seem to be) and might end up with nothing at the end of it all, assuming of course that there even is an end?

One or two of our lads originally said they wanted to opt out but it worried me that government might penalise those who did opt out, by reducing their state pensions (again assuming that young people today will ever be able to retire at all). All in all I think it is really just another tax that employees and employers are being forced to pay in order to qualify for a state pension.

I suppose it boils down to the job a person does and their personal choice. A labourer for example may be desperate to retire ASAP whereas someone spending most of their time seated may feel very different about retirement.

I think it’s good to carry on working, if you’re able, and you’re getting some pleasure from it, but not everyone can, and some jobs are too physically demanding.
I have real sympathy for a lot of women affected by this

mokryna just out of interest, what type of school do you teach in? Are you full time? I am amazed you want to stay in the job that long.

I totally agree with Wobbles and have always thought that the most sensible course of action is to ensure that the young generation have employment, rather than older people. They should be the ones to have the jobs, or one day we will find that after years of a lot of them being unable/unwilling to get a job, they won't be employable. Where will that leave the economy when us oldies finally have the rest we need - probably in our graves sadly.

gillybob
Do you have the same concerns that I do: that in years to come the money has 'mysteriously' disappeared.

I agree with maryeliza's post of 12:32:15.

I always thought the law stated that there should be a break after the 5th hour katyj ? If you are right then I will have to put a stop to the extra tea break our lads enjoy .

Currently they are a bit like the Munchkins from Oz …… who "get up at 12 and start to work at one, take an hour for lunch and then at two they're done.....jolly good fun

Oh do calm down maryeliza54. You’ve had your say - this is YOUR opinion and stop saying posters ‘LIE’. Please respect the forum rules.

I wouldn't want to inflict my job on anyone, young or old humptydumpty although I don't suppose anyone else would want to do it anyway .

Like you, I work because I have a mortgage and bills to pay and no other income from anywhere.

Urmstongran The laws have changed your allowed to work 6.30 hours now without a break.And yes I am in a union, so what their doing is all legal and above board unfortunately.

People still get old and tired at the same point in life. Lifespan has nothing to do with it. She has no idea. I don't like her. (that is the polite version)

I've got to say I was 60 in December 2012 and I did receive a letter back in 1996 after the original changes telling me I would not get a pension until September 2015. That was nearly 20 years notice, so time to make provision for this change. However what isn't fair are the changes made in 2011 which did not give ladies much notice and affected a lot of people already affected by first change. This new change didn't affect me but has affected friends just 4 or 5 months younger than me, and I feel they were badly treated.

jennifereccles
You obviously live in that same rarified world that our politicians inhabit.

Exactly janea well said !

The new workplace pension worries me. It is increasing year on year (currently 5% employee and 3% employer contributions) and is a real struggle for many to pay into. I wonder what (if anything) anyone will actually get back ? I also wonder how much the pension companies cream off to pay for their own staff, shareholders and fancy buildings? With pension ages rising all the time the youngsters paying in will not enjoy many years of retirement

Sorry, misread that! Actually agree with jeanainsworth,

I agree with Jennifereccles, hard to save for a pension with so many demands on a young couples income, especially if they’re on low wages, rightly or wrongly, we all tend to put it off!

May I say, as someone still working beyond my SP age, that I object to earlier posters implying that, in so doing, I am blocking a job which could have gone to a younger person:

a. My job could not be filled by a younger person, I have decades of experience in my area of work

b. I am still paying off my mortgage and need the additional income to meet the payments

I don’t think anyone has the right to LIE on a public forum either - asylum seekers and immigrants do NOT get off planes/ boats etc and just get benefits. That is a LIE. Most go straight into jobs we need to be done. Others deserve our compassion as they flee from war and conflict

jennifereccles The thing to remember is that we are only talking about the State pension here, which is only intended to be a top up to pensions or other sources of income which we should all be providing for ourselves
What if you spent your working life in low-paid jobs that barely allowed you to feed your family, let alone save for a pension?

If Ann Widdecombe wants to see a 'self-indulgent and entitled' woman, she just needs to look in the mirror. Her arrogance is beyond belief!

I tend to agree with Anne Widdecombe's comment.

The thing to remember is that we are only talking about the State pension here, which is only intended to be a top up to pensions or other sources of income which we should all be providing for ourselves.

Yes, the State pension is a useful addition but should never be our sole source of income.

After all we have had years and years of work from when we were young to think about how we will fund our retirement, whether that would be from a private pension, or, from other means such as for instance investing in property which we did.

69 and love my teaching job but next year I am being forced - because of county's laws - to retire which I am not looking forward to!

Oh I have reported it maryeliza54 and they have removed it. You have a perfect right to your options but not a right to be rude on a public forum.