A MOTION calling on the Government to make fair transitional arrangements for women affected by the increase in the state pension age has been approved by Warrington Borough Council.
The motion, put by Cllr Amanda King and seconded by Cllr Jean Flaherty, claimed some 3.8 million women had significant pension changes imposed on them by the Pensions Acts of 1995 and 2011.
Many had only two years notice that they would have to wait an extra six years for their state pension – some had no notification at all.
As a result, many women born in the 1950s were living in hardship.
The motion stated: “It is not the pension age itself that is in dispute – it is widely accepted that women and men should retire at the same time. The issue is that the rise in the women’s state pension age has been too rapid and has happened without sufficient notice being given to the women affected, leaving them with no time to make alternative arrangements.”
Cllr King (pictured) said: “I rise to propose this motion because we need to stand up for our mothers, sisters and aunties. People who have worked all their lives, only to be told with very short notice that they would have to wait six more years before receiving their state pension. A cruel and punishing decision made by a government who put no provision in place to help with the transition.
“Here in Warrington, we have heard from so many of these women, who are living hand to mouth, facing ageism as they try to find secure work, taking out new loans that drive them deeper into debt, and unable to make ends meet.
“Yet again, women are being disenfranchised. When the pension age for men rose, transition programs were put in place. It is time that women were treated equally.
“The way in which the rise in state pension age has been implemented has left 1950s born women with huge financial challenges. Quite simply, they deserve fair transitional state pension arrangements.”
Cllr King women felt they had been targeted unfairly simply because they were born in the 1950s
“Imagine working all your life, believing you would retire at 60, paying National Insurance, and a few short years – or even months – before your 60th birthday, you are told that your pension will be moved back six years.”
The motion passed by the council, calls on the government to provide a “bridging” pension to provide an income from age 60 to state pension age – an income not means-tested and includes recompense for losses already incurred.
10 Comments
Thank you Amanda King we need more people like you on side.
Kind regards
Dorothy Gregory
Isle of Wight
Thank you Amanda, 4 years on and still fighting! #Notgoingaway
Great to hear,my wife is affected by this.First she heard was a letter in 2013 when she was 54 and caring for her elderly parents.Many people believe these women had 20 years notice and that it was all over the press,this is not the case.The government know they have done wrong and need to offer compensation.
Thank you for this it is much needed
Same for me it seems that a few of us ladies had a letter in 2013 I was 58,first I’d hear of it. I was deversated having 6 more years added after working since the age of 15.!
Is this proposed bridging agreement for the ladies who are to be in this position we are in now . If so those of us who now reached 65 plus will we get anything to help us pay for the debt we have had to get into to survive for the past 5 years
Thank you so much for your support. It is so appreciated. Amy, Cumbria.
Thank you so much for your support, it means so much to have someone who understands the extent of the betrayal.
Thank you for your support and agreeing with us that it is not the fact the retirement age has come into line with men but the fact we were not informed in time to try and make financial arrangements to combat this. Although for the majority of 1950’s women, even if they had been made aware, they would not have been in a position to afford this following years of work related discrimination.
I am 64 and didnt get any letter or notice to say the age had gone up to 66,I was looking forward to being 60 so I could retire but here I am still working with another 2yr to go .