Discrimination against 3.8 million women

Oldbat1

Rates currently are £141.85 (which I receive) or £185.15 so over £43.30 more. From Apr 2023 I will receive £156.20 and those receiving the new higher pension will receive £203.85 so £49.65 more per week! Doesn’t seem fair somehow.

The way I look at it and I could have claimed my state Pension when I was 63, my state pension may be less than people younger than me but I got it 2/3 years before they did. You can't really expect to have your cake and eat it. I carried on working past my state pension age which was my choice. This enhanced my pension.

notgran

What the heck is an "Anti Discrimination Commissioner", there is nothing on any official website that gives this position to anyone in the UK? As far as I can see The Hon Dr Jocelynne Scutt, has simply given herself that title. It doesn't exist. No official person has asked her to publish her report. Basically this is False News. I could say I am the Supreme Commissioner of the Universe and shall publish my report and e-mail to every politician in the world. It would carry the same weight as this bogus report does.

Wiki says she "has served as Anti-Discrimination Commissioner of Tasmania and as a judge on the High Court of Fiji." !!! Does that count?

Do you have a link to the report LizzieDrip?

I take it those who think it “fair” will refuse any of the very doubtful compensation gained for Waspi women?

Delila

So the new rate is 30%+ higher than the old rate. I don’t know whether that compensates for the extra years people have had to wait?

It evens out for women who live to the age of about 82 (need to check).

I was born in 1953 and got my State pension at 63. I retired when I was 60 and got my work pension. The thing is though, the Bursar at work warned us that this was happening so it wasn’t a surprise when I didn’t get my State Pension at 60. I had done a pension forecast a long time ago and the amount I got at 63 was around twice as much. I hadn’t carried on working after 60. It is fair though that women should have to wait longer for our pensions. We generally live longer than men and most are living longer anyway.

I knew in the mid 1990s that my state pension wouldn't be paid until I was 65 (ie equalised with men). I remember being miffed in 2011 when it was raised by an extra year to 66. It wasn't a shock to me. Surveys showed that about 70% of women were aware of the changes.

Oldbat1

Poppyred I’m a Waspi and had to wait until I was 63 to get my pension which I expected at 60 and I do not receive a “much larger pension”.

Same..

growstuff

I knew in the mid 1990s that my state pension wouldn't be paid until I was 65 (ie equalised with men). I remember being miffed in 2011 when it was raised by an extra year to 66. It wasn't a shock to me. Surveys showed that about 70% of women were aware of the changes.

Me too, and I was very miffed by the 2011 change.

No pension until I'm 67 and no bus pass either, grrr.

The figures quoted on here relate to the full state pension. Not all WASPI women qualify for a full pension, so they aren’t all necessarily receiving a higher amount than women born earlier, whilst having to work and contribute for an extra 6 years. I don’t get a full state pension, despite working until I was 66.

Growstuff the report is available on the CEWDAW website and Dr Scutt’s presentation is on YouTube. Sorry I tried to get it as a link but couldn’t.

Thanks. I found it. It's not an official report and I'm afraid carries no weight.

Lizziedrip, not all women on the lower rate receive full pension either. I should think similar factors are taken into consideration in both cases.

I don't get a full state pension either because I was "opted out" for a number of years. Although, like everybody with public service pensions, I paid reduced NICs, it wasn't made clear in 2011 that we wouldn't receive the full pension. I also lost my SERPs. I spotted it in the "small print", but nobody took any notice at the time. They were too busy jumping up and down claiming they didn't know about the increase to 65 and moaning about the unfairness for different groups.

The other issue which people ignored was the changes to Universal Credit for the over 60s age group, which made it more difficult to do part-time work as people were approaching retirement.

Yes I suppose it carries no weight with the powers that be. As far as I’m concerned that doesn’t negate the discrimination perpetrated against 3.8 million women.

Yes, very frustrating to work towards a pension at a certain age, only to have the goalposts moved, plans disrupted etc.

The "new" state pension has meant that fewer people are now eligible for Pension Credit. Anybody on the new system and receiving the full amount or nearly the full amount is eligible for nothing or a very small amount. People receiving the "old" state pension who are in need can be means-tested and their pension topped up the new amount.

The new system means that people with a full contributions record receive more without having to be means-tested eg having savings taken into account.

The changes were supposed to be cost neutral, which means that some people will benefit and some will lose out. There are some safety nets for those who lost the most. On average, if people have an average life expectancy, they'll end up with the same.

LizzieDrip

Yes I suppose it carries no weight with the powers that be. As far as I’m concerned that doesn’t negate the discrimination perpetrated against 3.8 million women.

I actually think WASPI discriminates against those born on 1 January 1960 and later (and they don't care).

I might have supported them, if they'd have fought a different battle to support all women as they approach retirement.

Can people on the new pension claim housing benefit, particularly those who aren’t entitled to pension credit?

The "new" state pension has meant that fewer people are now eligible for Pension Credit. Anybody on the new system and receiving the full amount or nearly the full amount is eligible for nothing or a very small amount. People receiving the "old" state pension who are in need can be means-tested and their pension topped up the new amount.

You’ve explained that far better than I could Growstuff. Because I receive just below the ‘new’ full state pension, I’m not eligible for any benefits upgrade. However, I have friends on the ‘old’ pension who receive pension credit (I think it’s called that) bringing the amount they receive up to match the ‘new’ pension. Upshot - I worked and contributed for 6 years longer to receive a lower pension!

Forgot to say … when you receive pension credit it opens up lots of other ‘benefit doors’ which, of course, are firmly closed to me!

growstuff

LizzieDrip

Yes I suppose it carries no weight with the powers that be. As far as I’m concerned that doesn’t negate the discrimination perpetrated against 3.8 million women.

I actually think WASPI discriminates against those born on 1 January 1960 and later (and they don't care).

I might have supported them, if they'd have fought a different battle to support all women as they approach retirement.

That's how I always feel, as an early '61 baby, I know we had more notice of the changes but we still have to work till 67 when for most of our working life we expected to retire at 60.

Delila

Can people on the new pension claim housing benefit, particularly those who aren’t entitled to pension credit?

Yes.

I do not get a higher pension than those who got their pension aged 60 - obviously, I can’t speak for everyone, but the people I know get a similar pension to me

It is higher.

The full basic State Pension is currently £141.85 per week based on 39 years of contributions for a woman born before 6 April 1950.

A woman born on or after 6 April 1953 will receive £185.15 per week based on 35 qualifying years.

If you were born before 1953, 35 qualifying years means you receive a reduced amount.

There were a couple of years when people had their pension age raised slightly, but still received the "old" state pension. There was also a short time when people only needed 30 years contributions and, of course, received credits for years when they were bringing up children. It was a mess! I actually think the news system is fairer, especially as people with public service pensions can't opt out and pay reduced contributions. In the end, the government is being quite crafty because it means it will have to pay fewer means-tested pension credits.

I've given up looking over my shoulder and seeing unfairness. I know what I get and just try to make the best of it. Life's too short to be jealous and bitter.

It was a mess!

It was and still is!

However, those women who receive a lower old state pension and get a reduced pension for fewer than 39 years of contributions did start receiving it at 60.

It's swings and roundabouts.

I agree with you Callistemon, especially as the amount received sometimes has no correlation with the amount paid in. It's based on number of contributions rather than the level of payments, which is why higher earners were advised to opt out.

For some people, there's no incentive to make up missed contributions because their pension is topped up anyway and Pension Credit opens the door to some other benefits.