State Pension age rising to 70 even though UK State Pension is lowest in the world
- UK State Pension officially the worst in the world – but still needs to be cut further.
- Middle income groups receive worse pensions than any other country in the OECD.
- Government actuaries say under-30s won’t get state pension till their 70s as new State Pension system is unaffordable.
The Government Actuary says the UK State Pension is not sustainable, even though it is the lowest in the developed world, according to latest OECD figures.
UK bottom of the global pensions league table: No other country has a less generous State Pension than ours for average earners. Even Chile, Poland and Mexico pay better State Pensions than the UK for middle income groups. With our aging population, and a decline in traditional final salary-type pension schemes, the UK faces rising risks of old-age poverty.
Net pension replacement rates for average earners (state pension as a % of earnings):
Country % of average earnings
Netherlands 100.6
Portugal 94.9
Italy 93.2
Austria 91.8
Spain 81.8
Denmark 80.2
France 74.5
Belgium 66.1
Finland 65.0
Czech Republic 60.0
Sweden 54.9
Canada 53.4
Germany 50.5
USA 49.1
Norway 48.8
Switzerland 44.9
New Zealand 43.2
Australia 42.6
Ireland 42.3
Chile 40.1
Japan 40.0
Poland 38.6
Mexico 29.6
UK 29.0
OECD average 62.9
Source: OECD ‘Pensions at a Glance’ Table 4.8 December 2017
State Pension has already been reduced, but will have to be cut further: In April 2016, major reforms to the UK State Pension were supposed to have made the system affordable for the future, reducing its generosity. Beyond the 2030s, the new State Pension will be lower than the old system for most people and the lowest paid, predominantly women, will generally lose significantly from the new system. Despite this, the Government has been advised, by its own actuaries, that the costs of paying State Pensions will soar so much over the next 20 years and beyond, that further cuts could be required.
Even though UK State Pension is lowest in the world, it needs to be cut to avoid massive tax rises – perhaps dropping triple lock: The Government Actuary believes that just funding the UK’s exceptionally low State Pension will require reducing payments in future or dramatic tax rises. The options would include dropping the triple lock (which increases the new State Pension in line with the highest of earnings inflation, price inflation or 2.5%) and increasing State Pensions in line with average earnings instead, or possibly doubling National Insurance rates for average workers. Policymakers face difficult decisions and are also likely to need to increase State Pension age further.
Everyone aged 30 or below will get no State Pension till their 70s: State Pension age has been rising since 2010 and will reach 66 by 2020, increasing further to 67 and then to 68 under existing legislation. However, the Government Actuary assumes state pension age will be 70 in the 2050s and 71 in the 2060s. This means anyone aged 30 or below, will not get their state pension until they are age 70. And those aged 20 or younger will have to wait until they are 71.
More to do to address UK pensions crisis – including making private pensions more attractive: We are one of the world’s leading economies, but our support for the oldest in society is not fit for purpose. Even though most people will receive the lowest State Pension in the developed world, the costs of providing for our aging population have not yet been brought under control. To avoid burdening younger generations with significant tax rises, it is vital that more is done to boost private pension saving. Auto-enrolment is a good start but the pensions industry needs to attract more customers to pay more into their pensions.
Here is a link to the Government Actuary report https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/653374/QR_2017_report_Oct_2017.pdf
88 thoughts on “State Pension age rising to 70 even though UK State Pension is lowest in the world”
Yes, we 50s born women know all about waiting for our state pension. Two hikes, one in 1995 which we weren’t Informed of, then 2011, which added another 18 months on.I’ll receive my sp on my 66th birthday, Dec 2020. I’m almost halfway through serving my redundancy notice and at 63 wonder who will employ me and how many hoops I’ll have to jump through, to claim any benefits, after paying NI contributions for 46 years. It is so unjust we are being treated in this way. Company pensions weren’t available to us when we were younger . Most women stayed at home to raise children, then when we worked, usually in low paid employment. We now are caring for our grandchildren, enabling our children to work and also caring for sick/elderly parents/relatives, saving the government £millions. This is a shameful way to treat the elderly in a civilised, wealthy country.
Well said. I am in the same position, made redundant at 59 and now unemployed. I am 62 in October so over 4 years for me to wait! I hope you get someone better than I did at the Job Centre. It was awful. She told me I could do “any” job ( I was a Cluster Manager for Thomas Cook) and asked me if I had suitable clothes for an interview. I was better dressed than she was!! I was then told that I had to spend 35 hours a week looking for a job even when my doctor said I was to ill to work. I gave up and told them to keep their money, I was not prepared to suffer the humiliation. I now care for my elderly mother, disabled daughter and unwell husband saving the government a fortune in care costs.
Make sure that you are claiming carer’s allowance.
Carers allowance is a pathetic amount and only payable for looking after 1 person. Thanks to this government I have also lost out on getting my pension at 60 and have another 4 1/2 years to survive until I do with next to no income of my own. I care for 3 people and get a meagre £62.70 a week carers allowance for this! Who else would work full time for such a low wage? I have to rely on my 66 year old husband to keep me and he should have retired last year but cant because we need his income to survive! Nobody will employ me at my age and how would I care for 3 people at the same time as a job anyway? I cant abandon them and they cant afford to pay for help either. I am saving the government a fortune and am repaid with utter contempt and total disregard for all the years Ive spent caring for others. By the time I get my pension, if they dont move it yet again, I will be too worn out to enjoy any quality of life with my husband. How fair is that!!
You say thanks to this government but they haven’t changed anything, you stated yourself when the changes were made. I’m sorry you chose not to plan for them as many did.
The primary driver as you know is equality legislation which rightly states Women and Men should have the same retirement age.
Your mother should be able to claim attendance allowance which she could pay you with?
If you claim cares allowance your parent lose their attendance allowance which in many cases is worth more than the attendance allowance
That is a shameful way to treat people. It is designed to put people from claiming in the first place. I received my pension in 2011 before they increased the age, but my sister like you will have to wait until she is 66. She is now 62. Politician receive massive salaries and expenses and can retire early on very generous pensions. The Tory government want to turn the clock back to 1900’s. I have a granddaughter with special needs and my daughter gets a carers allowance which is being cut now that she is getting married. You should be getting a carers allowance at the very least
Lin, you and the other ladies and all UK ladies of a certain age group have been terribly hard done by. The male s of that generation have not been so harshly treated. The Treasury are rotters to say the least, they always seek out the most vulnerable in society to tamper with their finances. My wife had three different pension dates and even then the small print affected the actual payment date. Pensions can be affordable and it is a shocking indictment of all UK govts since the 80’s when I seem to remember a 10% hike at some stage. Just 4 billion from the over-bloated and indefensible foreign aid budget were diverted to a proper budget line then our pensions would improve by up to 100 pounds per month, not much but a start. And each year a generous rise would be forthcoming. I have no idea whatsoever why successive govt’s have not protected OAP and their pensions. I speak as a disabled ex military, whose pension levels are frankly a disgrace and again at the bottom of the list compiled by the OCDE. The silver voter must do something to force a change. Govts’ should be taking care of their own and not some rich country’s space programme and ethnic pop groups. I truly hope you find good employment soon. Good luck.
We as a generation of those born in the 1950’s have been badly treated. The whole pension system needs reform. Soon we will be saying this about the 1960’s and 1970’s women and men.
All should get the same if they have paid NI contributions. There should be no limit to the NI you pay if you have very good salaries and if the NI system is underfunded this needs to be addressed. We are not all equal but if we all pay in we should all get our pensions when we expected them. The 1950’s women have been badly wronged and taking this out on the poorest members of society is heartless and cruel. Join the Pension Reform Group on Facebook and work together to try to address these issues.
Thanks Tony for this. We 50s women need to do something drastic and soon. Big UK city by city march might help. I do know that Back to 50s groups are trying to put forward a legal case. fingers crossed this actually happens.
Tony, I’m not sure how you can say that Women have been treated less favourable than men? The SPA for men has been age 65 whilst a woman’s has been age 60 despite women living longer. My take is that everyone has been treated despicably. Anyone who has contributed into the state scheme believing they could retire at 60/65 now has to work for longer. It should be that those who start working age after the rule change that should be affected, not those who are almost at the end of their working life.
Lets hope backto50a groups can fight this major issue. Need to get it back into the papers/TV.
My heart goes out to you working paying in all those Years only to give to individuals who have never paid in a penny.A politician who reversed this injustice,deported all foreign criminals,brought back the death penalty for heinous crimes.Close our borders,stop sending benefits abroad to probably chikdren who do not exist,nobody New who lived in the Grenfell traged,how the hell do they know who they are sending our benefits out of G B.I was lucky enough to get my pension at 60 still working part time paying taxes at 70 difference is it’s a choice.
I’m in the same boat over 40 years of working and paying into the system and cannot get my pension until Oct 2020. I’m not in good health now and find it more and more difficult to do my job. I have fought for a long time to continue in work and now feel trapped in a body that is in pain every day. This is a very unjust unfair system.
Women in general live longer than men. Therefore its not fair to allow them to claim pensions earlier. I’m all for equality, but that has to be across the board….
Women didn’t choose when they were going to receive their State Pension. That was a government decision. It was also a short sighted government decision by a Labour Government which robbed all of us of our pensions at the promised age, and caused them to lose the ability to keep investing in our future pensions. All for a short term fast buck. The country is being sold out from beneath us by successive governments, but this particularly heinous crime was committed by Gordon Brown. A very poor decision which has led to not only WASPI women losing out, but all future generations.
You won’t get any benefits if you are receiving £73 or more a week from a private pension so be careful with redundancy over 60 as they make you take your private pension.
I am in same situation as you and I know many others!!
You correct in everything you say!!
We want 60 pension to come back.
Younger people can then have a job! Give them a chance in life!!
We feel most unhappy knowing we could have had the choice to retired it has affected the ones born in the 50’s.
Bring it back let us have some quality time life is too short !!!
As a bloke my younger twin sister got her pension 5 years before me, paid less & statistically will draw it longer by living longer than me – hows that for fairness & equality! Despite me campaigning for Pay Equality from 1970 onwards. My father, grand fathers & uncles never lived long enough to enjoy a pension.
Why didn’t ‘WASPI women’ know about the changes to State pension age?
I knew all about it, and it doesn’t even affect me (well, not to the same extent).
Welcome to the world of equality women wanted – there were always going to be sacrifices along with the benefits.
The UK was a bit nearer the average, until Thatcher.
Regrettably, nu- labor did very little to raise it.
As Thatcher said at the time ” There is always Housing Benefit”.*
But now the Bedroom Tax and Universal Credit are taking that away, in order to reduce the tax on shareholder profits.
* It was part of her ” There is no such thing as ‘ society’ interview.
Women have always been paid less than men now they are again hitting women financially saying there needs to be equality. Where is the equality for women who all their working life have not had equality. Pay them their pension at 60 yrs
England is a rich country ros …..why don’t you share the wealth around a bit……tax all those company’s that avoid taxes….hidden offshore wealth too by fat cats…..instead of going on about aging population. I am 64 my pension was hiked from 60 to 65 plus 6 months……no notice either……disgraceful shameless MPs on their big fat paychecks and golden pensions
Well said Lynn I am in the same position as you. I am 64. I should have had my pension four years ago but I have to wait for another year and six months the same as you. Westminster screwed all us 1950’s women badly. They did not care about us they chose just to simply hang all of us out to dry. It is high time that we just refused to accept this crap and started fighting back.
Totally agree with you it is time to get together and fight for what Is rightfully ours my wife isn’t able to retire until she gets too 66 or later this Is pretty well Down too the fact that 1 Government after another didn’t bother to top up the pension fund at the rate they should have until they stopped topping it up completely.if It had been topped up properly we would not have this problem today that’s why it’s time for the ppl too actually let them know what we’re looking for
It wasn’t so much not topping up as actively taking changing tax reliefs so that the pensions couldn’t grow as they had in previous years, ignoring the ever-increasing aging population and potential ramifications of market downturns – with catastrophic consequences for our pensions for the foreseeable future. They need to restore the tax reliefs and completely ring-fence pension funds as a minimum. The whole thing needs to be completely over-hauled
I am disgusted I have worked all my working life i’m a cleaner I do three jobs a day it’s a very demanding jobs I so I have to wait until i’m 66 to claim my pension i’m 62 at the moment i’m Riddled with arthritis throughout my whole body but mainly in my hands which as you can imagine is quite dibilitating not every person is fit and healthy enough to work I take a cocktail of medication just to be ale to do my jobs each day
I too am like you Glynis, ive had two hip replacements, the second was done on the 4th July, after 7 canncelations. I work for the NHS, and i know i’m luckier than most as we get the first 6mths full pay then it goes to half, but because ive been of scince last June ive now no pay, my husband also works for the NHS and has been a gem at keeping me from worring about bills and mortage, i’m 60, will be 61 in November and the type of work we both do is very physical i’m seeing the doctor on the 18th ive a feeling he is going to say i can go back to work, i know it’s on a phased return, but scince the very start of my ops its been in the back of my mind i hope i can spring back to the way i was,i’d love to see those who work in goverment do what i do they would never last, i don’t know what i’ll do if they put the age up again it’s rediclous we have been shafted good and propper.
Scrap all those British Tax havens and get the rich to pay their taxes and there will be more than enough to pay pensions and the Welfare State!
Well said Paul
Fifty percent of woman are single by 60, most are not the ‘incidental recipients of their ex- husbands pension’, most reply exclusively on their broken work record to see themselves through retirement.Many are unable to work in their 50’s and 60’s due to chronic health conditions often made worse by the menopause with osteoarthritus and the like setting in well before 66. Others are unpaid carers for their families. Others like me still have children at university to support and even though we try to continue working we are put on short, fixed term contracts at 60 or made redundant.
It is an absolute disgrace to just put up the pension age with no discussion with the people affected you are paying young people to stay on the dole and make older people work longer because they cannot get their pension, you will end up with a lazy young society who think they should be paid to stay at home and live off mum and dad who have worked all their life and have to carry on it’ll d 60s are you all thick can’t you see the bigger picture?
If the stringent conditions that are placed on those claiming benefits as discussed by Lynn Zalenka, I find it hard to believe that their is a ‘lazy young generation’. Perhaps you’re basing that opinion on your family or neighbours? I can share with you that there is no housing benefit, no unemployment benefit, nothing else as a hand out. I’m sorry that you view the younger generation with such distain.
I am 64.It is conceivable that my 20 year old daughter will receive no pension but will be expected to pay for my age group.This is potentially extremely divisive.
Why is your daughter paying for your age group. Your age group has paid for their pension over their working lifetime, through taxes and National Insurance
Her daughter will be paying because the whole system is a scam! It isn’t insurance at all, it’s extended income tax. The people working now pay the pensions of those in retirement. If part of NI contributions was invested for future pensions, as it is in many other countries, then it would be a proper system.
Because that’s not how the system works. Whilst a private pension is invested in a pot that is ring fenced for you, today’s state pensions are paid for by today’s taxpayers.
If you think this is unfair think back to the time when state pensions were first paid. How were the first pensions funded given that nobody had been contributing exclusively to pensions up to that point? There was no magic money tree, yet anyone over the hurdle age for receiving the benefit effectively received an immediate handout to which they had not contributed.
Two other challenges with the pension system funded thus. Back in the 1940s, the average life expectancy was only around 68 or so. Retirees would only have to have their pension funded for two or three years, against a working life of forty-five or so years. Wind the clock forward to the present day and that ratio is now approaching 45:20. So in the 1940s your typical annual pension could be shared between 15-20 workers’ tax; now it is less than two and a half: the burden ha increased about tenfold.
The problem is that the design principles that underpinned the original system no longer hold true.
Just short of my 64th birthday and about to be kicked out of my job no redundancy. Where I get a new job? Anybody offering me one? Thought not! I have worked hard all my life since I was 15 when I left home, I worked and my wages were sent home, I never even saw my payslips they were given to my mother. Now I find out that I will be on a reduced pension when I retire I have no back up funds.
Oh to be old, cold and probably homeless in the U.K. such a great nation to be proud of? I don’t think so!!!
Struggle to reply without expletives. I’m a Waspi and as far as I’m concerned, they’ve breached the contract I entered into with them at age 15 and they’ve stolen my money
Me too Ann. I do know that groups such as crowdfunder and Feisty Women (Dundee) are looking to take legal action against the government on this. However I feel time is passing and I don’t want to get to my specified pension release date only to find they have put it up to 70!!!!!!!
Kids are finding it hard to get jobs . Set the pension to an acceptable retirement age , and make way for younger generations to learn the jobs that become available to them through that process . We won’t see a pension ,we won’t live long enough to enjoy what we’ve worked so dam hard for. Quality of life means nothing ,nor does the value . The more that dies ,the less to pay out when increasing the age .
Can we please all wake up. Yes I know all politicians are by nature self centred, ogotistical people. However we have sat back long enough, this Brexit carry on, could be very hurtful to the poor middle classes, and it is self made by this Conservative Party. We have the power to stop al this “making the rich richer, and the poor poorer” Speak up and be accountable for our once great country, or pay the price.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/proposed-new-timetable-for-state-pension-age-increases
No headlines in the MSM (that I’ve seen!)
If the stringent conditions that are placed on those claiming benefits as discussed by Lynn Zalenka, I find it hard to believe that their is a ‘lazy young generation’. Perhaps you’re basing that opinion on your family or neighbours? I can share with you that there is no housing benefit, no unemployment benefit, nothing else as a hand out. I’m sorry that you view the younger generation with such distain.
How do other countries manage to pay state pensions higher than the UK? We are meant to be the 5th wealthiest country in the world, there is something very fishy going on. Does the govt realise that some women have absolutely no money to live on, have to sell their homes, why can’t we receive pension credit until we receive our SP at 66+, and think it’s disgusting that women over 60, have to go through the humiliating farce at the job centre
YES the UK has the lowest state pension in the world.However, the Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem parties all wanted the UK to stay in the EU. However, they NEVER told us that the EU has a big pensions hole looming. It is going to cost well over 30 Trillion euros for EU pensions over the next generation of workers. So there is absolutely NO DOUBT that UK taxpayers would have been expected to subsidise these pensions all their working lives while UK pensioners were having to wait until 70 or 70+ to get their pittance from the UK government.
First question, how much of the disparity due to the “average income” in this country? The State Figures never seem to really show the proportion of grossly overpaid which pushes the mean level up. The statistic may be, probably is, distorted by those living inside the M25 (watch “Homes Under the Hammer” for a good social picture of house prices).
Second question, why is there no control over the way in which the private pension industry mistreats its annuity holders, doling out the pensioner’s money at such a low level to ensure the company almost always wins by using an unfairly high self-set “life expectancy” – well above the government statistician’s level?
Other countries are able to pay higher pensions because the workers pay higher contributions than we do. I can only speak for Spain, where I lived for 20 years. As a self employed person I had to pay €275 per month as a flat rate whatever my earnings. I believe higher paid workers have to pay more. Apart from that the basic rate of tax is payable on all earnings over €5,100. This is being raised to €7,000. I can’t speak for the higher tax rates as I didn’t earn enough.
Compare that to the UK system where the tax free allowance is over 11,000 pounds (being raised to 12,000) and NI for the self employed is less than a third. If we want better pensions they have to be paid for. I for one would be happy to pay an extra few pennies on my tax if it meant a better pension.
BTW I am a fifties woman who has to wait until 66 for my pension.
I’m a Waspi too. I gave up teaching when my identical twin died of cancer ten years ago today in 2008. I was under the impression I would still get my pension at 60 and was with a partner. I got cancer two years later. My partner didn’t want to support me. I’m now on my own and had to obtain my teaching pension early to survive on my own. My pension got moved from 60 to 66. I’ve spent most of the last ten years looking after my daughter’s child and my mum who developed dementia and died last summer. Pensions are NOT fair. Men are not relied on to stop working for the sake of caring for the children or grandchildren or elderly relatives. I struggle and will struggle more now as I suffer from arthritis and lymphodema and mental health issues as a result of my cancer surgery. God help our younger people because our government won’t. Fairness does not exist in the UK .
THE Spanish State pension is income based on what one earns the lowest anyone can receive when in retirement say someone on minimum wage all ones working life is 250 euros per week double that of UK pension maximum amount is 500 per week it is income based also for to be able to receive full pension one only has to work 40 years in full time employment Spanish worker\citizen can easily retire between 55-60 years old
Yes…but in Spain the cost of living and houses are cheaper than here in the uk so it’s obvious we need to earn more before we pay tax than they do in Spain…think about it.
There is a massive pension crisis brewing in the UK as our state pension is awful and as the DB (final salary schemes fade) people have not been saving enough for their retirement. Just as in the US where their 401k Schemes are not delivering our DC will see people having to work well into their 70’s. A prosperous retirement with DC needs a pension pot that amounts to them saving c12 to 15% of their career earnings…
Am 66. I got my pension when I was 61 as I just missed the 60 threshold by 9 months. Am still working part time as I don’t have a works pension and my husband is unable to work. I get just under £600 every 4 weeks SP. Not enough to live on so I have to work. My 50th anniversary of working is next month. I don’t know when I will be able to stop working. Not in the very near future unfortunately.
My mum is 61 in may born on 57 has astma she lost my dad and she is barely getting by with mortgage and house bills etc shes not entitled to any help and with the pension going up its stressing her out
The idea that people will be able to work longer and longer is ridiculous. In the next 20 years, millions of jobs are going to disappear because of robots and artificial intelligence. This revolution is going to replace many middle-class, white collar jobs, not just low skilled jobs like warehousing, factoryvwork etc. Governments in the future will have to pay citizens a basic salary regardless of whether they’re employed or face permanent deflation and the breakdown off the capitalist system as people won’t be able to afford to purchase goods and services.
Dear oh dear, Ros. What an argument! I summarise:
With our aging population, and a decline in traditional final salary-type pension schemes, the UK faces rising risks of old-age poverty. The State Pension, the lowest in the world for average earners, has already been reduced, but will have to be cut further to avoid massive tax rises.
Ah, so it’s all about avoiding paying more tax so that pensioners can be old, cold and poor.
If all those other countries can fund state pensions more generously, than the UK (5th richest country in the world) should be able to do so. If it requires tax rises to provide dignity for people in their old age, then I for one would be happy to pay more. It would help, too, if the government closed down tax havens and tax loopholes.
It’s not women of the 50s. Mine has gone up twice. I also have so far worked 40 yrs but unlike my brother my employment didn’t benefit from a final salary Pension. I also had 4 children whilst working. A high percentage of woman would have followed similar path. Are salaries were to top up the family not to put in a pension. single mums concentrated on the children’s needs not there future retirement. This is an in fair situation we have been placed in.
We in Scotland have to think very hard about leaving or remaining part of the UK.
Once independent the Scottish Government will be able to look after pensioners, those on low income and families requiring support much more fairly than Westminster who are systematically widening the gap between rich and poor.
Please visit our website for more information. pensionersforindependence.scot
As a father of three kids if I was to work just 16 hours a week on minimum wage without my wife working at all I would clear £2,000 a month in total. Anyone arriving from the EU today could claim this whilst all of those who have worked and contributed for decades get left out. It doesn’t seem fair to me.
Well Ladies we need to blame a Female for the changes
around 1989 a women who worked in London Took The Govt to court because she thought it was unfair for her to be made to retire at 60 ?
She won the case and then the Govt equalised all pensions for men and women
so we have our own gender to blame on this issue
We have fought for equality rights and now we have to take the rough with the smooth we cant have it both ways
What amazes me is that they say it is necessary to increase the pension age because we’re all living longer. Then they talk about the growing obesity problem and how it will shorten the lives of millions. Then there are the people who will shorten their lives through binge drinking and drug taking . Where many people will live long lives, many more will be lucky to see pension age due to modern -day poor health habits. So surely things will balance out . Pensioners have always been an easy target.
WASPI women have been stolen from. Paid into the system since age of 15 ya s old, now 62, unwell…wilt get pension until 66. Government theives . 7th richest country in the world, how they’re treating people is despicable.
If the Government collected the correct Corporation Tax from the multi nationals we could have the highest pensions, not the lowest. Take Cafe Nero as a prime example. Not paid any Corporation Tax for 10 years. The previous publicity about Facebook etc still stands. Collect the tax and pay at least the OECD average state pension.
I have had an ongoing row with my local MP about this raising of the retirement age. When I commenced employment in 1977, I knew my retirement age to be 65. I’ve been employed virtually ever since and that means I have paid almost 41 years contributions for a pension I fully qualified for ELEVEN YEARS ago (Pensions Act 1977). Despite this, I still have another nine years to work now, meaning (should I stay employed), I will have contributed two-thirds more than I needed to for absolutely no extra benefit to myself at all. It doesn’t matter how anyone wants to paint that, it’s grossly unfair and evil. I know someone who has hardly worked at all during this same period and he will probably finish better off than I will. This country is a disgrace. The populous is being stitched up and typical British apathy is allowing it to carry on regardless.
The only thing I’ve ever agreed with when it comes to pensions is the equalizing of the retirement age. I’ve always been a huge believer in equality no matter the race, colour, religion, gender, etc – so I’m sorry ladies, the only thing you should be beating a drum against is this abhorrent increase above 65 years. The increase to that age is called being equal. You wanted it (equality), and in this particular respect, you’ve got it.
as a 50s woman I have to wait until I am 66 go get my state pension but did you know that a man born on the same day as me can get his pension at 65? I don’t call that equality!
You hit the nail on the head there! All UK Govts have used tax-cuts as a way of keeping our votes. The Brits just seem to love them! But you don’t get something for nothing. If we’d paid more into the system we’d have better Pensions. We may have grumbled at paying higher taxes/NI’s, but we’d have benefited from it eventually. Unless of course the govt spent it elsewhere…….
I agree with you wholeheartedly, I agree with equalisation too, but there was little in equality when the 1950’s were working, and to a degree the 60’s too, that took years to achieve thanks to equal rights movements and unions then finally into law, we older ladies did not have the full benefits of that legislation. You’d be most welcome to join the pension reform united group. I hear and understand your anger though.
I have an idea, how about a means tested sp, anyone with an income of over £40,000 in private pension forfeits their sp. I know if I had £40.000 I would not need the pittance that is the sp.
I wonder how many mps could work manually to 65 let alone 70, my husband is a plumber he has to grovel under floorboards and contort to get to pipes and he struggles now at 61 so goodness knows how much longer he can carry on. I gave up my job 3 years ago, fed up with being treated like dirt, I helped looked after my mum-in-law until she passed away last year and now I help look after my grandsons 1 of whom is autistic his mum is a nurse and doesn’t have a regular shift pattern and so I cannot go out to work as I never know what days I am needed to care for the boys.
All ladies born in the 1950s should be taking action to contact their MPs and going through the DWP complaint process. There are 3.8m women impacted across the UK but only a few thousand have gone through this process.
Come on ladies, turn that anger into positive action. Have a look at the waspi.co.uk web page. Join a local group and help other waspi’s who don’t have access to the internet because they can’t afford it or unable to use it with their complaints.
#notgoingaway. We paid in so Pay out NOW . State Pension is not a benefit. Our National Insurance was deducted at source. There was no other alternative.
When I left school in 1969 I recall we were all taken to the hall and staff from what was then the dhss were there. They told us that hey had paperwork for us to sign and that although we weren’t old enough normally to sign a contract that this was a binding agreement between getting government and us. We were to work till 60 for the girls 65 for the boys and in return the government would give us our pension at that age.
Has the government breached a contract?
Just turned 60 and very angry that after working from the age of 16, paying in for over 40 yrs have had my pension stolen. Like so many of us now in poor health, single, no family and in poverty. I had no children, bought my own home, no further room to downsize. Lived off my savings. Now cannot afford to heat, eat. Have had to give up car but cannot access a bus pass. Had to give up phone and broadband this year. Heating down to 17, as per the turn heating down a degree advice year on year. Life is lonely, isolated, miserable.
Anita. …. your story is very sad …. you have worked all your life. …. and seem to be in a very bad situation. …
If I can help you in any way I will
It is a disgrace the extended age to receive state pension. I have worked since age 15 full time and previous to that worked at age 13 with a work pass, i am soon to be age 60 and should have been looking forward to my pension I have always paid tax and NI contributions , this pension is not free I have worked all my life. At age 60 soon I should be able to reduce my hours not increase them, looking after elderly parents and young grandchildren and also not having the energy I once had. Friends my age are having ill health issues and just unable to keep working it is, a disgrace what is happening in the UK , do the right thing and reduce the age !!
Shocking just shocking, pension age should have stayed 60 for everyone including men, we talk about sexism and equality men should have the same age as women for getting their pension, even though people are living longer it should not be the reason for putting up the pension age, the older we get the harder it is to look after ourselves and live life fully, the reason they are putting up the age is because all the money will be returned to them due to having to selling ur home and tax tax tax, it’s only going to get worse I’m 22 and have been working since I was 14 and I bet that by the time (if I even make it to 70) the pension age will be well into the 80’s, and the generation younger than me will never be able to achieve their pension and that is so sad. You work all your days to pay for bills and tax only to be rewarded with more stress than you had before because ur unable to get your pension until ur as cold as the government we live under. There needs to be a change, no wonder mental health issues is becoming a bigger problem because the amount of stress life has put on us all, maybe if they’re was more fairness, people can live a happier healthy life.
An over 25 year old on “THE LIVING” wage would have to work just over 16 hours to earn the amount paid as a State Pension. It’s a pity the Living wage doesn’t include pensioners or aren’t we meant to live? but just exist!
Fake news, pension is increasing, but to 68 to anyone born 1978 onwards, and the chart is wrong, in a perfect world we all retire at 50, on 300 quid a week, but its a lot better than it was 100 yrs ago.
FACTS
Under the current law, the State Pension age is due to increase to 68 between 2044 and 2046.
Following a recent review, the government has announced plans to bring this timetable forward. The State Pension age would therefore increase to 68 between 2037 and 2039.
Your date of birth How the proposals affect you
On or before 5 April 1970 No change
Between 6 April 1970 and 5 April 1978 Your State Pension age is currently 67. It would increase to between 67 years and 1 month, and 68 years, depending on your date of birth
After 6 April 1978 No change. Your State Pension age remains 68
No you are wrong
1960 = 66 + x months retirement age
1961=67+ x months retirement age
1978 onward = 68
Pensions are set to rise to 69 by 2040.
I’m an admin for pension reform.
There is a government checker to check your retirement age
The 69 increase is on the EU website for all spa’s across Europe.
You older ladies hard done by?? Yes it’s not nice but I’m 31 and will probably be to Ill to work before I retire.I feel even worse for the young ones they are the ones paying most in and getting least out.
Then you need to start raising your voice now ! I’d just like to make a small point, when 1950’s women were working and raising their families there was no free childcare, alot worked full time jobs around their family commitments, alot working nights, the thing also was they got absolutely no notice of the increases, ad nor did the 1960’s they’ve done their stretch many have long term health issues, many forced to sell family homes and downsize, having to deal with the hostile environment of the benefits system when they really should have had their pensions, some 50’s women were just months off their retirement, dome applied for their pensions unaware of the increases, to be told err no you can’t retire yet !
This has caused many into dire financial situations, I myself as a 60’s woman only got official notice at 57 last December, which according to the cridland report is totally insufficient, and then the letter I got was a pension forecast with a half arsed oh by the way paragraph at the bottom of the page briefly saying about the increases, you are young we know the increases for younger generations go beyond the pale, I have daughters in their 30’s gutted they’ve got to slog on till they are 68, it’s a total disgrace, I urge you and anyone else reading to come join pension reform united group we are trying to consolidate many to fight for better pensions for all, please come join us, bring your friends the more voices get heard the better. X
Part of the solution may just be stearing us in the face.
Perhaps the problem is that NOT ALL UK state pensions are the lowest in the world. The mandarin who put forward the latest increases to pension age retired on a 1.8 million pound pension pot!
There are much easier cuts the State could implement to save money
Like others a 50s WASPI who is ready to retire but unable to till 66. I gave up a good career to stay at home with my son and never got it back. I have cared for elderly parents in recent years travelling over 200 miles most weekends after a week at work.
Yesterday I was in the bank and a 30 ish young man was trying to open a bank account to have his benefits paid into. He told me he gets £ 1400 a month in benefits because he has poor health. He went on to describe bad veins and abscesses in his body. Looked quite well to me and I suspected his abcesses were from injecting drugs. It’s as much as I currently earn working. I suffer with mental and physical problems and still go to work. There is something very wrong with this country when so many young people stay on benefits and so many people have to works till they are older to pay for them.
Yes some women from the 50s have been treated badly. When it all was decided a few years back, that’s when women should have taken action in mass. I’m afraid you all have missed the boat but maybe both sexes can fight the future pension hikes together now that the government says austerity & cost cutting has finished???
There’s not enough information in this op Ed for me to make any form of judgement. As there are far more factors in this. As there are more people into pensionable age than there are people who will be working to pay their pensions. Let alone the triple lock on there as well. So when the young generations are struggling to pay for food etc, the pensioner is safe from poverty, due to legislations. And so the biggest issue is balance while not having anyone go into poverty, but then people will always be more concerned about themselves and not plan ahead… Those who use the NI as a saving fund when it’s not, it pays for others benefits not yours. So when you start to claim you are taking from the pot the current generation takes from, not your own. So did anyone who’s complaining now, actually think and save up their own money to help themselves in the future? Or are you solely relying on the future generations to be working and living in their own homes? (after all the housing market is rediculious in comparison to what the boomer era had to pay – so another way of that generation making profit off the later generation, when it comes to selling houses bought for less than 10% current prices) but hey, I must be a lazy and ungrateful generation… But if I was lazy, how are your pensions going to be paid…
try working in construction till your 68, i have seen a scaffolder on site with 2 knee replacements at 38 years old, does anyone here think he is making it to his retirement age at 68 dont think so,
Working to 70 is ridiculous. By all means if people want to work on thats their choice. By the time im 70 i will have worked for 54years- more than enough contributions to pay me a small state pension at 65 – if i had been paying into a private pension for all that time i would be comfortable in retirement. wheres all the money i have paid in!! The people in government who make these decisions dont care – they retire when they choose on their big pensions.
Whilst it is true that our system offers a low return it is far more viable than the others quoted who will be bankrupt very soon.
The future adn solution is auto-enrolment but with far higher contributions both employee and employer and covering every pound of earnings, we need to move up to 6% employee and 6% employer contributions as soon as possible then review every 3 years or so and move up again if needed.
For me it is wrong that State should provide alone, it should be compulsory for everyone to fund their pension properly with the state playing its part.
Bit weird to read all these comments about 50’s women being treated unfairly.. did you guys read the article?
I am 30 and I will be lucky to even see a pension if it doesn’t go bankrupt first and if not I will be receiving it in my 70’s and that’s being very optimistic. With covid happening presently, where do you think that budget will be coming from?
I have been working full time in hospitality for 12 years and already feel defeated, only 40+ more to go!