Food Banks and Poverty- was Nye right?

growstuff

This is from the WASPI website (their capitals):
THE AIM OF THE WASPI CAMPAIGN IS: TO ACHIEVE FAIR TRANSITIONAL STATE PENSION ARRANGEMENTS FOR ALL WOMEN BORN IN THE 1950s AFFECTED BY THE CHANGES TO THE STATE PENSION LAW (1995/2011 ACTS)

This translates into a ‘bridging’ pension to provide an income until State Pension Age, not means-tested, and with recompense for losses for those women who have already reached their SPA. There are no specific age groups within the period mentioned above that are favoured above others.

WE DO NOT ASK FOR THE PENSION AGE TO REVERT BACK TO 60.

I am not a WASPI member's have only that to go on, but assume that they know what they are asking for.

Again, you can't extrapolate your own experience onto everyone else. I have not had notification. I asked for a copy of anything that had been sent, or any record of something being sent, and was told that there was nothing. The same standard letter was sent to a lot of others in the Back to 60 group. My experience doesn't invalidate yours, but neither does the fact that you got a letter mean that all women in the affected age group were also notified of the changes. Repeating something does not make it true.

So you do know them.
I think it is possible for you to have formed an opinion based on actual knowledge then.

Apologies.

No, it wasn't Doodledog. It was to get full compensation for those whose pensions had been delayed. If it had been for some kind of compromise, such as a bridging pension or something based on bringing forward Pension Credit, I would have supported WASPI.

Could you please provide a link to where the WASPI campaign has ever said they wanted full compensation, growstuff? As far as I am aware the stated aim of WASPI has, from the very start, been to get a bridging pension for the women worst affected, and they have never sought to reverse the changes or demanded full compensation.

Cross-posted, Doodledog.

I'm off to bed and am exhausted, but I'll dig out the paperwork I have tomorrow. I'll also look for some links.

What do you think was meant by a "transitional pension"? WASPI refused any suggestions of compromise. They also wouldn't discuss changes to the means-tested benefit system, which would have benefited those most in need.

Sorry, but I'm tired. I'll find the evidence tomorrow.

You are the kind of person we need more of Growstuff.

Private rentals have their pluses but they don't give the security of longterm tenancies in local authority housing.

Maggiemaybe The WASPI leadership split. I can't remember exactly when, but to say their aims were the same at the beginning as they were later, isn't true.

You're right annep1. My landlord is a sweetie and I don't think I've disappointed him, but the future does worry me.

The official WASPI group's aims never changed, even during the difficult period when the breakaway group tried to gain ownership of it. Anyway, I look forward to reading your evidence.

You ask What do you think was meant by a "transitional pension"?

If it's me you're asking, I'd think something on the lines of basic jobseeker's allowance for those who have paid in enough to be entitled to the full state pension at retirement. So around half the current state pension. On a sliding scale for those who wouldn't get the full amount. Others might well have a different sum in mind.

Maybe you yourself have when you say If it had been for some kind of compromise, such as a bridging pension or something based on bringing forward Pension Credit, I would have supported WASPI.? What level of bridging pension would you support?

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

My understanding is that WASPI was against means testing of any payments, which I wholeheartedly support, for the reasons I have given. It is simply wrong to decide an arbitrary figure and refuse to pay anyone with more than that.

What would the cut-off be based on, anyway? Husband's income? For women who have paid NI in their own right for decades?? House value? Arbitrary, given the differentials between north and south. Savings? Why should people be penalised for saving to finally do the things they want to do in retirement - visiting grandchildren, going to university, playing golf, it doesn't matter.

I really don't see how anyone can decide who needs a pension most, and it should not come down to need anyway for those who have paid into the system for decades.

I completely agree with you that any bridging payments shouldn’t be means tested, Doodledog. It’s a small step from that to the idea that all state pension payments should be treated the same way.

To clarify, when I said WASPI wants some sort of help for the women worst affected, this is because of when they were born, nothing to do with their finances.

Doodledog and MaggieMay, totally agree with you. I must be a WASPI woman as I was born in the fifties and my pension was delayed by three years. I was initially informed by letter that it would be delayed for two years, but had no notification when that was extended to three years, and in fact when I checked on the government site, I was surprised to find it to be so. However, I retired from teaching at 59 and to be honest, I really couldn’t have gone on much longer in that job, but I was able to claim my professional pension, already reduced as I retired a year early and because I was unable to complete a full forty years due to taking some time off to raise my children when they were preschool age. I managed to put in about 27 years I think. However, I’m married and my husband was working, and when he retired a year later, he claimed his professional pension. I finally was able to receive my state pension three years later. I did not suffering hardship due to the delay, but if I had been single, then it would have been a different matter. Nonetheless, women who are not going to receive their state pension till age 66 have been treated badly in my opinion, to suddenly find out that your pension age has been changed by six years, when you’re already in your fifties, is truly a disgraceful state of affairs. I have friends and relatives in this position, sadly.

Bill Nye the Science Guy

I’m sorry Frognan, I don’t understand your comment. Could you explain a bit more please?

Possibly Frognan is asking which Nye? It is Aneurin ( Nye) Bevan , a S Wales politician who's ideas formed the NHS. My name suggests my location and my admiration for him.

It was the coal miners in South Wales who gave the idea’s to form the NHS, they paid their GP a sum every week

I've not heard of Bill Nye, but will look him up.

I thought everyone in Britain knew of Nye Bevan (Aneurin Bevan).
I grew up imbued with his name and his ideals from my father, even as young children we heard all about him.

Our local Healthcare Trust is named after him as he was 'a local boy'.

Callistemon I went with my father and grandfather to hear his speeches on the hill where the three memorial stones are
placed in his memory.

How many MP’s would stand on a hill to make speeches now ,
not one

Exactly Anniebach Both my grandfathers were miners in Senghenydd. I expect you will know about that

It was the coal miners in South Wales who gave the idea’s to form the NHS, they paid their GP a sum every week

That's inrpteresting, anniebach. Do you know if the same hapoened in mining areas elsewhere in the UK?

typos!!

Anniebach Corbyn did in Gateshead 2017

Having waded through four pages of this thread after a welcome break from GN over Christmas, I have just revised my decision to return. There are more than a sprinkling of posters who would support the slogan

ARBEIT MACHT FREI

never mind bring back the workhouse. Sickening.