I was already having a bad day, but now I am absolutely furious. Just put the tv on to hear the news headlines. Wish I hadnt as I am fuming so much that cant see me getting much sleep now!!! As usual ,women are being put last, cheated and being defraud4d from both sets of government morons. They have all gone back on their word and if it had been a private company they would be indited for fraud!!! I worked for 11 years paying full stamp, then went abroad and paid class 3 which was more expensive and you got no use from it for the years you were abroad,. It was said to keep you up to date for your retirement, so as far as I see it they stole my money on false pretences. I then stayed at home as I adopted my son (in financial terms I got no maternity leave and actually saved the country money as I brought up my son, which would have cost the country money if he had been in a childrens home.) At that time I was told to go onto married womens stamp. I asked if that kept me up to date and was told yes and that I would g et a pension at the age of 60. So I have never claimed any benefit, done without holidays and no new furniture or cars, but worked and paid my bills . As an honest person I believed that when the government said that I would get a pension at 60 , that it was the truth. Huh!! They constantly moved the goal posts, made it impossible to claim a hard eared pension. If the company pension quoted that it would be received at age 60, you would get it , but when it was sneakily written that you would receive the money at "pensionable" age so that you didnt even have that part of your pension. Now, those of us who tried to be responsible, spent time and effort working out how we would cover our bills with the pension, only to find that as they had reneged on their promises, and all your care and effort was thrown in your face. We coped through a rise of mortgage to 15% at one time so there are people who have very short memories regarding the cost of housing! Having done all this to find that yet again we are absolutely CHEATED and lied to and who is getting the money? well the men of course! I particularly remember that when I worked in Overseas Telegrams I earned £11 a week. That year I also paid SIP of £11 So a whole weeks wage went into that SIP. I still have the insulting letter from the pension people telling me that I would get 6p on my pension , that (I think )comes out to 5p. I could have done something worthwhile with that weeks wage, and now to add insult to injury they think they can get away with this. Well on top of working , and bringing up a family I have (as many other women have) done a lot of voluntary work over the years. Since I have lived in North Yorkshire I did 10 years of 3 days a week hospital car service, where they just paid the petrol. Thinking about that I suggest that all we WASPI women and friends should be Wasps and sting where it hurts. We do not want to let down all the people we help of course, but they want to have days for this and that . Well we should choose a day, (perhaps my birthday would be one possibility!) and give good notice to the people we help and then literally if every retired wonan , just for that one day did not do their usual things, and other women supported us, I think we could make a big statement and show these people just exactly what we do, and how much would be missed if we stopped doing it. Many women have moved with their husbands job and done part time work to fit in with family commitments, and I am sure that there must be millions of pounds in little bits of pensions that we have never seen that is rightfully ours, which has gone into pension pots that we have not seen a penny . Well enough of a rant for tonight. I need to stomp off to bed. I will need some J S Bach to soothe me , but also I hope to put my hands on my cd of Arvo Parts Spiegel im Spiegel. It is a wonderful calming piece and when I shut my eyes, I see drops of rain falling into a lake and the rings going outward. I know one thing, it has been good to be able to come on here and feel that someone will read it at some point. I have written letters and been involved in trying to do something about this situation, but as they say, I have the bit between my teeth now, and I shall do as much as I can to be involved in any campaign going. I would say that this is the modern day version of the suffragettes movement. Grrrr!!! Goodnight fellow GN and will be interested to see your comments.
