Rethink pension changes for women workers

Published: 10:43 AM June 22, 2011 Updated: 4:21 PM November 1, 2020

I WOULD like to ask your readers to help with our campaign to highlight the unfairness of proposals contained in the UK Government’s Pensions Bill.

We support the move to bring women’s state pension age in line with men’s at 65, but we are objecting to the speed of the increase for women to 66 by 2020, six years earlier than originally planned.

As a result, around 330,000 in Britain women will, at very short notice, have to wait an extra 18 months or longer before claiming their state pension.

I and many others across the UK feel this is unfair and will hurt hard-working women, many of whom have worked for 40 years or more. Many have worked in relatively low-paid jobs or part-time because of caring responsibilities, and these changes will mean real hardship especially for those with poor health.

We are asking MPs to ensure the Pensions Bill is amended to ensure that any increase to the state pension age beyond 65 does not start until at least 2020.

You may also want to watch:

Readers can take action by sending a state pension age campaign postcard to their MP, asking him or her to stick to the coalition Government’s original timetable. To request copies of the campaign postcard or to find out more about the campaign visit www.ageuk.org.uk/spa.

ANTHONY BARRACLOUGH