The extra 6 years of Work!

Yes, I'm just starting that extra six years slog. My husband is also 5 years younger than me so will have to work even longer.

I can't share it with you Watching but I do so sympathise, my youngest sister has to work the extra years, she gets so tired , a pharmacist so on her feet all day . She became a grandmother twice in the last two years and has to drive at weekends from Wales to Plymouth to see them ,if she didn't work she couldn't afford the travelling , I worry about her

My two grandchildren live in Pembrokeshire AB and I can only visit them once a year due to leave and travel restrictions. It would be lovely to be able to see them more often or even live nearer. Unfortunately DH and I wouldn't be able to find equivalent employment there.
I've been working since the age of 16 and in my present position for 29 years. I'm now nearly 61 and I'm just tired tbh

I've been lucky enough to be able to take my teacher's and local government pensions early, which give me just about enough to live on if I don't splurge. I work for myself, but there's not much work on at the moment. I'm okay, but I really feel for those people who have to continue working when it wasn't what they expected. When the pension age was increased to 65 (64 and 10 months in my case) I wasn't too bothered, but the second increase of an extra 14 months thoroughly p****ed me off, especially as I have the double whammy of not being entitled to the new full state pension as my occupational pensions were opted out. I know I'm luckier than most women of my age, but it still rankles

Nice to hear from you all. My sister gets to retire at 63 years and a bit. Can't help feeling a little envious! Thing is I don't mind working a few days but full time and beyond to pay the bills is too much! It's worrying about your health too and if you can make it!

I'm in the same situation Watchingyou and another 8 years before I retire seems impossible to me some days. It's not just very physical jobs either, mine is stressful and mentally challenging which leaves me drained. I'm sure the younger workforce are going to regard us as less productive too at an older age, so we are going to have to push ourselves even more to keep up. Result = too tired to enjoy any retirement.

I have to keep learning and using new systems. Four this semester at least. I can do it as I'm pretty IT savvy but I just really don't want to (maybe I'm lazy )
The physical side of work is really getting to me now, I have slippers and arthritis which makes walking and typing difficult. Oh dear I am whinging.
There are lots of young people who cannot get work that would love my job and be more engaged. Wouldn't it be sensible to give us our pension and open up positions for unemployed younger people?
Are we job blocking?

I am relieved to see others feel the same way!
I am still in my early 50's, but am exhausted already! I worry I won't make it to 66 (or older!)
I raised 3 children largely alone while caring for a husband who developed a serious mental health issue when the girls were tiny. for years we lived on a very low income because he was too ill to work or care for the little ones and so I couldn't work either.I lived 120 miles from my parents, and am an only child of only children! So had no family support. As soon as the youngest was at school I started back at work part time, and moved to full time in a demanding legal career as soon as they were at secondary age.I have been working ever since!
My youngest daughter has a chronic health condition that started when she was 8 and she now lives with me together with her only child (my eldest grandson aged 6 ) who I look after more than 2/3 of the time and all weekend as well as doing all the school runs.
Because of my daughters college schedule, it falls in me to do all the shopping and cooking and housework as well.
the elder two,who don't live locally also ask me to help out financially with their families as even decent salaries don't go far in the South! so my salary (such as it is) gets pulled in all directions.
There is no chance of my being able to retire early, my private pension pots are tiny, and thanks to the Government I won't be retiring til at least 66 possibly later if things go on as they are!
I seriously worry that I will not be able to carry on til 66.if I had a pension I could at least go part time and ease the strain but this won't be an option for me

I think it is totally iniquitous and really feel for you all. I was lucky enough to be able to retire at 60 with a minute occupational pension and my state pension. We are not rich but get by, and there is no way I could have continued in work till I was 66 - I would simply have been on long term sick leave, which would have been a financial drain to everyone.

We 50s women have had a pretty raw deal here, to say the least. I had 41 years of NI contributions by the time I reached 60, but still have to wait another 5 years until I'm 66 till I get my state pension (and like dramatictessa, am annoyed that it won't then be the much vaunted full universal pension, due to the time I was opted out).

I am luckier than others on here, having a small local government pension that kicked in when I was made redundant at 59, and having a husband, also retired, so we muddle through. I chose not to start the search for another job, as I'd always planned to help look after my grandchildren at 60, and that is what I am doing. I am angry on behalf of those who are being forced to work six extra years, often when not really fit to do so.

WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) is the organisation fighting on our behalf and I took part in the national demo this Summer at the Houses of Parliament, where it was heartening to have so many MPs come out to support us. There is a very significant all party parliamentary group trying to get us some sort of transitional payment, and WASPI members are working hard on behalf of all the women affected. Their website is:

www.waspi.co.uk/

I have just completed the Government survey on their Action page, which is our chance to let the powers that be know what we would like to see in the Autumn Statement, and to put our case forward.

www.surveymonkey.com/r/S2T5LKG

We need to keep pushing away at them, asking for some sort of compensation for losing out on (in my case) around £37,000. If Theresa May is as concerned about fairness as she claims, this should be something she would want to look at.

As dramatictessa says, we knew we would be affected by the supposedly gradual rise in the state pension, but to have 6 years swiped away from us at short notice is just too much, and some women have been left in desperate straits.

Damn, I've just noticed that the Autumn Statement survey asks for suggestions by 7 October. It still seems to be open though, so if you're quick you could still make a difference (assuming that anyone actually looks at our submissions, of course).

Lynn, once a year, that's so sad , would you want to move though? Pembroke not much chance of employment but Cardiff or Swansea?

Yes I quite agree and the other thing which the Government fails to acknowledge is that women are often doing multiple unpaid caring roles in addition to that of the employee! No acknowledgment is made of time spent caring for elderly relatives or the disabled both of which relieve the burden on the state and are considerably cheaper than paid for care from the state! These additional tasks take their mental and physical toll on us which means that extra paid working years is then an addition to far!

I agree with you all and feel angry on your behalf.

Also the bit about carers - heaven knows what the bill for the government would be if we all stopped looking after aging parents/spouses/grandchildren!!

Self employed. The equity in the business was supposed to be our "pension".
We didnt figure on the sector as a whole being in the doldrums or worse actually.

We may just get back on our feet[admittedly my hours into the business are limited for reason I wont go in to].

But self employment, had we known then what we know now regarding pension age increasing especially, we would have done things differently[put more money into a private pension years ago instead of ploughing money back into the business, or at least very seriously looked at the options].

Self employment, realistically, in my opinion at least, is not as, and I cant think of the right words, stable?, fiancially secure? I cant think exactly of what I am trying to say.
And especailly if the self employment has physical work involved.

I am serioulsy considering getting another job. I could do it, a few hours I think, if such a nice small job exists!

I actually think that the six years extra, contributed to a relative getting a stroke. She is single, and was worrying a lot about how she was going to manage.

I have just checked and in my case it's actually 67!! Before I can retire!!!

I am 63 and get my state pension at 64 and 5 months. I luckily took an exit package ten years ago and work 3 days a week. I find that tiring and the last couple of weeks my mum's been I'll so have travelled to be with her in my days off. How do men manage working till 65?

maggie, I've submitted a proposal to the autumn statement, not holding my breath, but we all have to do what we can to fight unfairness. Truthfully, the raising of the pension age is so unfair. And, as always, the poorest suffer the most. I can see life expectancy falling rapidly in the decades to come due to people dying 'in harness'- do you think they'll reduce the pension age then?

Oh well, if I die in harness my family will get a nice Death in Service benefit!

I know a few hairdressers, two in their thirties and one in their forties who cannot envisage themselves in their salons at 60+.

Very few of the shampoo and set brigade left now too.

drama I would imagine that is part of the plan that they will save on pension payouts!

Me too, Im into year 2 of my extra 6 years. I have several conditions. Im in remission from bowel cancer, have hypothyroidism, asthma and arthritis. I work out of doors and working in the winter is horrendous. I also have a reaction to the sun, any exposed flesh swells up and goes bright red despite 50+ sunscreen. I just take each day at a time, my boss is very understanding but I cant see me working another 4 years but I cant live on sick benefit either. I want to work. I had originally intended to retire at 60, then work maybe a few hours a week to top up my pension, I have no private pension nor a handy man to help me out.

ethel, that sounds awful. It would be a good idea if people could semi-retire at 60 -draw some state pension but still work a few hours. It would mean possibly a reduced pension but it would free up some jobs for younger people, and let those who are feeling their age in whatever manner still work. Only just thought of that idea, so it's too late to submit it to the Autumn Statement