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Changes to State pension age for women

Changes to State pension age for women

Old Nov 8th 2015, 8:40 pm
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Default Changes to State pension age for women

A new campaign group has recently formed in the UK called WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality Campaign) to "seek fair transitional arrangements for all women born on or after 6th April 1951 who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the State Pension Age (SPA). Hundreds of thousands of women have had significant changes imposed on them with a lack of appropriate notification. The 1995 Conservative Government’s Pension Act included plans to increase women’s SPA to 65, the same as men’s. Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), agree with equalisation, but don’t agree with the unfair way the changes were implemented – with little/no personal notice (1995/2011 Pension Acts), faster than promised (2011 Pension Act), and no time to make alternative plans. Retirement plans have been shattered with devastating consequences."

A crowdfunding exercise raised enough to pay for legal advice and barristers are currently considering potential action. A petition has been signed by more than 21,000 people since the 20th October. Yesterday it was announced that the Parliamentary Select Committee for Work and Pensions will be seeking submissions from women born in the 50's. "The Work and Pensions Committee have launched an inquiry into the new State Pension introduced in April 2016. Concerns have been raised that many of those who will be affected by the changes do not know enough about the changes or exactly what they will mean for their pensions." More details here Understanding the new State Pension inquiry launched - News from Parliament - UK Parliament

I am sure that there are many of you (like me) who are affected by these changes. You may want to consider signing the petition and asking your family and friends to do the same here
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/110776

---SNIP---

Please pass this information to the women you know who were born in the 50's!

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Old Nov 9th 2015, 12:24 pm
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Default Re: Changes to State pension age for women

I was born in 1952 and reached my retirement age at 62 years six months. I was aware of the change for many years before I reached sixty and had plenty of time to plan.

I am still better off than my husband, who won't get his pension until he is 65. By deferring taking my pension until I am 65 I will get an uplift of 26%.

Although he is theoretically entitled to the bigger new 'flat rate pension', the fact that he was in 'contracted out' schemes for part of his career means that he will only get the old-style pension, so I will get more than he does.

My personal view is that men generally have been far worse affected by the pension reforms than women, who were already receiving far more generous treatment. I'm a feminist, but equality works both ways and it is unreasonable to complain about being given equal treatment with men.
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Old Nov 9th 2015, 1:12 pm
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Default Re: Changes to State pension age for women

Further to my first post:

The link you provide " Understanding the new State Pension inquiry launched - News from Parliament - UK Parliament" does not actually refer to the topic of your post -- the retirement ages of women born in the early fifties. These women will be getting the old style pension, not the new and so an inquiry into the new style pension is irrelevant to them.
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Old Nov 9th 2015, 1:59 pm
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Default Re: Changes to State pension age for women

Further to your reply's most of us are seriously disheartened about the way this has been implemented, no warning, no guide lines just get on with it. However you're ok, you made plans, some of us didn't due to many different circumstances. Sorry if the wording etc. does not fit, just feel as if something should be done and if nothing else it comes from the heart rather than "tough, get on with it". There are thousands of us who have worked for years and years not with expectations of a great pension but hoping (wrong word perhaps) that it would be dealt with fairly. What is fair about some getting a pension years before another and only a few months difference in age. Ok this is off my topic as such, just very angry and depressed about how it was implemented. Rant over I will now get on with my life.
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Old Nov 9th 2015, 3:02 pm
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Default Re: Changes to State pension age for women

Sorry you are disheartened, but the fact is that the equalisation of men's and women's pension ages was first announced in 1995 -- twenty years ago. It isn't correct that there has been no warning. In 2010, the Coalition government brought forward the completion of equalisation by just two years from 2020 to 2018, but it made no difference to women like myself reaching retirement within five years.

Frankly, I think it is fair, and we have been given enough warning. My husband and I both have 30 years contributions, but I'm still entitled to mine two and a half years earlier than him. By deferring my pension until I'm 65, I can turn that two and a half year advantage into a 26% higher pension. That's a little more than £30 a week. So, over twenty years retirement, I'll receive £31,200 more than he does, just for being female. What kind of idiot would I have to be to claim that I was being treated unfairly?
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Old Nov 9th 2015, 4:29 pm
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Default Re: Changes to State pension age for women

Originally Posted by Editha
Sorry you are disheartened, but the fact is that the equalisation of men's and women's pension ages was first announced in 1995 -- twenty years ago. It isn't correct that there has been no warning. In 2010, the Coalition government brought forward the completion of equalisation by just two years from 2020 to 2018, but it made no difference to women like myself reaching retirement within five years.

Frankly, I think it is fair, and we have been given enough warning. My husband and I both have 30 years contributions, but I'm still entitled to mine two and a half years earlier than him. By deferring my pension until I'm 65, I can turn that two and a half year advantage into a 26% higher pension. That's a little more than £30 a week. So, over twenty years retirement, I'll receive £31,200 more than he does, just for being female. What kind of idiot would I have to be to claim that I was being treated unfairly?
Yeh, I'm baffled as to why this is considered "unfair". The gripe seems to be that for some age cohorts, the equalisation of women has been accelerated. But that seems to ignore the fact that the full pension age has increased for everyone. For example, my full pension age has increased a year from what I expected, with far less notice than the original equalisation changes. The reality is that life expectancy has increased and changes are being made - for both men and women - to reflect that.
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Old Nov 9th 2015, 5:00 pm
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Default Re: Changes to State pension age for women

I've had a look at the campaign site, from which I gather that their argument is that although the change was given a lot of publicity in 1995, a lot of women were 'too busy' to notice. I think they need telling that there is no compensation for being an idiot.
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Old Nov 9th 2015, 5:09 pm
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Default Re: Changes to State pension age for women

Originally Posted by Editha
I've had a look at the campaign site, from which I gather that their argument is that although the change was given a lot of publicity in 1995, a lot of women were 'too busy' to notice. I think they need telling that there is no compensation for being an idiot.
People often seem to not think about retirement income until they are only a few years, or sometimes only months, away from retirement.
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Old Nov 9th 2015, 6:47 pm
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Default Re: Changes to State pension age for women

I find it very hard to believe that there are really a lot of women in the UK who have got to nearly sixty without realising that their state pension age has been changed. Even if someone never reads a newspaper or watches TV, it is the kind of thing that gets discussed at work.
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Old Nov 9th 2015, 6:56 pm
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Default Re: Changes to State pension age for women

Originally Posted by Editha
I find it very hard to believe that there are really a lot of women in the UK who have got to nearly sixty without realising that their state pension age has been changed. Even if someone never reads a newspaper or watches TV, it is the kind of thing that gets discussed at work.
It's funny how women have been fighting for 40+ years to show that they can be independent and take care of things for themselves, but now it turns out that some of the poor dear things can't even keep track of when they'll be able to retire.
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Old Nov 9th 2015, 8:15 pm
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Default Re: Changes to State pension age for women

I'm one of those women on the cusp year it seems. I have known for years that my pension age was to be 65 and that I had the require 30 yrs of NIC class A contributions. However, it now seems this is not the case. The qualifying years have altered to 35 yrs & the pension age seems to have moved along. In simple terms that is . I'm just starting to get to grips with this TBH and I do not consider myself slack or dim.

What provision is there for those that haven't got 35yrs NIC out of interest to gain a UK state pension.
Do they get a reduced amount and then have to claim UK welfare state benefits?

I'm not meaning me. I'm in the process of understanding and checking out my 'cusp' year status and these new rules which seem to apply to me now when they did not . I mean those that did not work to have kids . Those that became unable to work and the like.
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Old Nov 9th 2015, 8:21 pm
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Default Re: Changes to State pension age for women

Thanks Bevs for putting another slant on things and it to perspective. I cut my hours down to look after my mother, who eventually died of Alzheimers. No brothers or sisters to help, though I could have put her into a home immediately and that would mean I wouldn't have a shortfall. Sometimes others just do not think and that there is not always the perfect solution. Yes I agree that we should all be equal, men and women but this latest moving the goalposts etc. helps no one.
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Old Nov 9th 2015, 8:25 pm
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Default Re: Changes to State pension age for women

Originally Posted by BEVS
I'm one of those women on the cusp year it seems. I have known for years that my pension age was to be 65 and that I had the require 30 yrs of NIC class A contributions. However, it now seems this is not the case. The qualifying years have altered to 35 yrs & the pension age seems to have moved along. In simple terms that is . I'm just starting to get to grips with this TBH and I do not consider myself slack or dim.

What provision is there for those that haven't got 35yrs NIC out of interest to gain a UK state pension.
Do they get a reduced amount and then have to claim UK welfare state benefits?

I'm not meaning me. I'm in the process of understanding and checking out my 'cusp' year status and these new rules which seem to apply to me now when they did not . I mean those that did not work to have kids . Those that became unable to work and the like.
The 35 year change is not specific to women in particular. Ditto the increase in pension age from 65.

With some caveats, you will not get less than you otherwise would have with the "old" 30 year qualification period. And, as was previously the case, you will get a pro-rated amount if you have less than a "full" record (subject to a minimum of 10 years of contributions).

The only thing that might affect you specifically because you are a woman is that, for certain age cohorts, your pension age may be slightly higher than what it would have been under the equalisation changes announced in 1995.

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Old Nov 9th 2015, 10:04 pm
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Default Re: Changes to State pension age for women

Bevs with 30 years contributions you'll either get the full old style pension -- which is what you expected to get, or the flat rate pension if your entitlement is higher.

You might be able to buy the five missing years to get the full flat rate pension, but that depends on whether you were ever in contracted out employment. If you were, a deduction is made from the flat rate pension, which might mean that you would be better off sticking with the old style pension.

But the bottom line is that you will not get less than what you were expecting to get.
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Old Nov 10th 2015, 12:52 am
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Default Re: Changes to State pension age for women

Originally Posted by giantaxe
The 35 year change is not specific to women in particular. Ditto the increase in pension age from 65.
I know. It shows in a fair few tables I have seen. The thing is that at a 'certain' age it may not be realistically possible to make up the 5 extra years through work. That probably means one has to pay for those five years. Whereas those before were fine with their 30 , and those coming after have time to plan for the 35.

I think I've calculated that I will not reach UK pension age until 65 and 9 months.

A pal of mine just 10 months older than me seem to have her pension date at 64 and 8 months. So, I must wait one more year than her.

Another pal is some 22 months younger than me and so receives her pension date on her 66th birthday. Just 12 months after me.

This topic is of interest to me currently as you know from my own thread.. So without wishing to derail this thread with my own investigations , let's bring this back to topic.

The OP MO does seem to state there is no opposition to equalisation. It is the way & speed it has been implemented.

The 1995 Conservative Government’s Pension Act included plans to increase women’s SPA to 65, the same as men’s. Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), agree with equalisation, but don’t agree with the unfair way the changes were implemented – with little/no personal notice (1995/2011 Pension Acts), faster than promised (2011 Pension Act), and no time to make alternative plans. Retirement plans have been shattered with devastating consequences."
It seems the UK government did recognise there was some issue.

Article


and so
It had been expected that the women's state pension age would rise to 65 by 2020.

This provoked anger among around 500,000 women in their fifties who would have had to work up to two years longer.

The worst-hit 33,000 would have to wait two years. Some were in line to lose up to £15,000.

But the Government has offered them a reprieve. It said the maximum wait would be eighteen months rather than two years. It will achieve this by moving back the date at which the pension age hits 66 from April to October 2020.

Then between April 2016 and December 2018 it will rise to 65 for women.
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