Injustice of Women’s pension age increasing by 6 years

I feel sorry for people having to do hard, manual work past 60, also those on their feet 8 hours a day in a shop or warehouse etc. Physically you do change as you get older. I didn't have to do this, I left work at 60, hardly any pension, my husband died with the year, Having worked since he was 15. My mother died mid fifties having worked since she was 14. So the longer I live, I tell myself it's thanks to them and others who pay everything in and get nothing out. You just have get on with it, moving the goal post all the time is disgusting.

Gillybob we had private pensions ,took them out in our 20's.The forecast was fantastic a good lump sum and a decent yearly pension.Sadly as with most things government sticks its nose into ,after Thatcher and Brown raided them they were pretty much worth less than half what they should have been.We did take them early and invested in property for our retirement ...hopefully we'll be OK .No failure to plan...just bad luck.

I think some are missing the point. Well done you if you were aware of the changes before they occurred and were able to afford to plan for them, I would suggest you are in the minority. The point I believe is how unfair it is and how so very many women are losing out. Not only do they have to work considerably longer, they have to ensure they have 35 qualifying years of NI instead of 30. Furthermore the retirement benefits, for example free bus passes, enjoyed previously at 60 are also pushed back to 66, 67 etc. So yes we are living longer, yes it would have been wonderful to afford to put extra away but the fact remains that there is a desperate unfairness about it all.

I am very similar to you paddyann and will have worked 51 years or more when I eventually get to retire (assuming I live to 67).

After all the State pension is/was only meant to be a top up to a private or Company pension scheme which, surely, everyone should be contributing to

One can only make private pension contributions if they have the income to do so. I am forced to pay into a pension for 4 of my employees and can't even afford to pay myself a regular wage most months never mind a pension contribution !

People on minimum wage paying into this white elephant workplace pension will barely ever see a penny back. You mark my words !

nobody is complaining about it increasing..just about the way it has been done.I've had no communication from DWP...ever,about my pension To date I've lost out 40 odd thousand pounds ,add the extra NI for those 6 years and the government is doing very well out of my working life.I've worked since I was 15 with no breaks for childcare ..I was back at my desk 8 days after my daughter was born.It has totally wrecked my retirement plans .

I can remember that there was talk decades ago about how the State pension age would have to increase, so I don't think anyone can say they weren't warned.

After all the State pension is/was only meant to be a top up to a private or Company pension scheme which, surely, everyone should be contributing to.

sorry 12% NI not income tax

Nor me, but paying 12% income tax to pay for a pensions doesn't really seem fair.
Perhaps paying enough NI to fund everything else but pensions? ie a reduced rate of NI for pensioners, which is what I have said for a long time.

I think we should . Jalima they can’t expect to raise taxes and NI for young workers ( who will probably pay into the system until they are 70) when many pensioners retired years earlier and are doing very well indeed thank you very much . I can’t see why everyone ( able to) shouldn’t contribute .

Both my parents died before retirement age and I'm not there yet. I took early retirement at 55 and live on two private pensions. I knew all about the changes in the state pension age as I moved from expecting to retire at 60 to being told by letter I could now look forward to retiring at 64 years and 4 months, that later changed to 66 and then because I'm one of 300,000 women who are deemed to be unfairly affected I can now retire at 65 and 11 months, That's still 2 years away so I may not make it. As I've worked from the age of 16 with only a break of 16 weeks each time my sons were born, I think I've earnt my state pension and hope I live to collect it for many years to come.

I'm not sure that we should pay the full amount after retirement, gillybob - after all, some of the NI is supposed to be going towards our pensions, the rest for other benefits and only part towards the NHS, which is funded by general taxation. That is paid by pensioners who receive over the personal allowance threshold.

Okay if your in a position to do it Cornishclio what about those of us who never have been ?

I think NI should be paid for life . Means tested obviously .

but costing the NHS more into the bargain.
That's why I think we need to be making a contribution (means-tested, of course, but in a simple way.)

But that is an unusual occurrence which has always happened IYSWIM.

Some people die in their 50s, 40s, 30s etc.

We are generally living longer and in better health but costing the NHS more into the bargain.

Agree jamila
My mum died before pension age as did my aunt.
I always say that 62 is a dodgy age.
2 uncles and several friends died at this age.
Saving the Government quite a bit of money.

Agree z

It seems rather silly to retire at 60 or 65 and then live another 20 years taking money from the state
kittylester I do know several people who, having paid full contributions all their lives (and into private schemes) died before retiring (one died just two weeks before) or shortly afterwards.

My eldest is 47 this year, Lucky but my youngest a mere 30! But I really can't remember how it worked now - except, for once, 5 children seemed to work for me!

I didn't realise, from what I had understood this was introduced without enough notice, thanks cornishclio.

Most of my friends and myself and DH have all retired in late 50s and early 60s and I tell my DDS to overpay their mortgage and their pensions so hopefully they wont have to wait until state pension age to retire. Some of my acquaintances or friends are still working and planning to until 66 which is the SPA and one most indignant one was most adamant she did not know she could overpay on her occupational pension so she too could retire earlier than age 66.

People should take responsibility for their own retirement plans and not leave it until the last minute to think about how they will finance it and whether they will be able or want to work until 66 or 67. We always knew my DH would have to travel for his job and it would be long hours so we planned to go at age 60. In the end we were able to go 2 years earlier but we started thinking about it in our early 30s.

It is very easy these days with all the online planners and you can get a state pension forecast online too so there is no excuse for not being informed. Apathy is not an excuse.

If our children have to work until 70+
It is unlikely they will be able to provide child care for their grandchildren.

The law to increase women's state pension age to be equal with men was brought in 1995 so plenty of notice. It started to increase in 2010 so it is hardly a recent thing.

I am 58 and have just taken early retirement due to overpaying into my occupational pension as did my DH. I would never dream to be treated differently to him especially as men in general die earlier than women. Spare a thought for the 30 somethings who will probably have to work until 70 or beyond unless they pay into a private pension.

I think the Home Responsibilities Protection started in 1977? so I missed out on a few years too.

I think the WASPI women should have received much more notice in order to plan for their futures; that is what is so unfair.
I still don't understand why - surely if the pension age had been increased for women to 65 and kept at 65 for men, then there would be more jobs available for the young unemployed?

I think these credits started after I had my children and was at home looking after them kitty.