Vince Cable Pensioners should go back to work

I am surprised by what people are saying about the married womans stamp.

I started work in 1964 and where i worked whether to pay full stamp or the married woman's stamp was hotly debated every time someone married. Most of the women were in secretarial and clerical jobs and they were very aware of the results of their decision. Most were opting for the full stamp because they wanted a pension in their own right.

You were better clued up than I was Monica after starting work after graduating in 1965,

varian

Many married women were instructed by the government in the 1960s to pay the "married womens contribution" NI.

But it was never spelled out how that would effect state pensions,

It had nothing to do with whether or not you had a private pension.

varian
I’m perfectly well aware that the married woman’s pension had nothing to do with whether or not you had a private pension. However, I was not discussing the married woman’s pension because I never paid the married woman’s pension. When I returned to work in the 80s the married woman’s pension didn’t exist, except for those who had already opted to pay it previously to it being abolished. Therefore I paid a full rate NI stamp, reduced slightly because I was opted out due to paying in contributions to my professional pension.

Additionally no one could opt out unless they were also paying into a professional or private pension scheme. So what I said was correct!

Varian it wasn't me, it was the women I worked with. who knew all about it.

varian

You were better clued up than I was Monica after starting work after graduating in 1965,

Me too!

I worked for the Area Health Authority and took their advice (it is a misselling scandal).

Calistemon

^Chakotay Sorry but if your pension is £50 less a week than people on the new rate it is because you didn't contribute the same.^

Untrue, Chakotay.

Yes it is true the person I responded to said and I quote 'My pension is approximately £50 per week less than someone who contributed for the same number of years who is on the new rate' that is not true, the old rate is for 30 years, if someone had paid in for more than 30 year's under the old scheme they would get more than £137 a week because they would have accrued more pension under the additional state pension, and that is an actual fact, why do you think members of my family get more? that's because they paid in for longer than 30 years and accrued the additional state pension (45 years in my husbands case) why do you think I get more than the new full pension, its because I would have got more under the old scheme due to the additional state pension I accrued before 2016 so I get a protected amount, what is NOT true is younger pensioners automatically get the extra money due to their age, in fact I know several people who get far less than the new full pension because they didn't pay in for 35 years

Chardy

Chakotay Sorry but if your pension is £50 less a week than people on the new rate it is because you didn't contribute the same.
Govt website says for a full state pension
You’ll be able to claim the new State Pension (£179.60/wk) if you’re:
a man born on or after 6 April 1951
a woman born on or after 6 April 1953

Born before those dates, it's £137.60/wk (£42 less)

That's nothing to do with qualifying years (which are different for the 2 pensions - 30 basic, 35 new) because that's full pension. Am I missing something?

Yes you are missing the fact that the old pension was made up with 2 elements, the basic of £137.60 plus any additional state pension you could have accrued.

With the new pension you cant accrue an additional pension anymore the new FULL pension is £179.60 and unless you have a protected payment, that's all you will ever get no matter how many extra years you pay in, because its capped

Im still working after 51 years, i do plan to retire but how soon depends upon my health, im a cancer survivor, have several long term illnesses. Not complaining as i like being financially independant.
Can these people not realise that we change as we get older, theres not many who could do full time like the younger ones. Also not many employers would want arthritic, pain ridden individuals taking sick leave.