Permission granted: 50s Women win historic case to judicial review on pension rights

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50s women dancing in front of the Royal Court of Justice after the judge granted their request for a judicial review

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A High Court judge  yesterday gave the Back To 60 campaign permission to bring a judicial review against the Department for Work and Pensions over the raising of the pension age  for 3.8 million women born in the 1950s.

The Hon Ms Justice Lang – who is also known as Dame Beverley Ann Macnaughton Lang – ruled in favour of all the issues raised by barristers Catherine Rayner and Michael Mansfield on behalf of the women.

The ruling by the 63 year old judge obviously stunned the Department of Work and Pensions whose barrister, Julian Milford, asked for  66 days ( instead of the normal 14 days)  to prepare a fresh case against Back To 60. They were granted 42 days.

The  ruling means that a future  hearing BackTo60 have the right to argue their case that the government’s decision which affected the 3.8 million  women was both  a matter of  gender and age discrimination. In addition they can argue that the total failure of successive governments to review the arrangements to look at the hardship faced by many of the people made  matters worse.

As is stated on the lawyer chambers site:

” the taper mechanism used to raise the date on which women receive state pension, in combination with a failure to properly inform women of the changes was unlawful because it discriminates on grounds of sex, age and sex combined and age.”

Catherine Rayner told the judge that there had been no fewer than 60 changes to the date  when a 50s woman could get a pension  and that the main driving force for the government was to save money. She said the equivalent of £5.3billion had been taken from this group of women. She described it as an ” historic inequality ” which was made worse by the lack of knowledge among the women themselves  because the government never informed them directly about the changes.

Julian Milford for the DWP, admitted that this was part of a cost saving for the government but also said it was about equalising the pension age between men and women.

He argued that there should be no judicial review of this because it was about primary legislation which had been widely debated in Parliament in 1995 and it was far too late to call it into question.

He also argued that a ruling by the European Court  of Human Rights which meant that pensioners who had retired to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa were not entitled to uprated pensions meant that the women had no case to ask for a judicial review about changing their pensions.

Both these points were rejected by the judge who said that even though the act was passed 23 years ago the fact that its impact was causing problems for the women now meant  the review could go ahead.

The government also revealed that the private pensions industry is  uneasy about the women winning their case because it could force them to pay out occupational pensions five years earlier to some women – if their contract with companies meant it was payable on the day they could collect their state pension.

As the 7BR website says:

“The hearing will allow a detailed examination of complaints made by made by women born in the 1950s, and championed by groups such as #backto60 and WASPIE, as well as their political representatives. The case raises legal questions about sex and age discrimination in the mechanisms chosen by government to implement a policy; the responsibility of Government to inform people of significant changes to State Pension entitlement and of the applicability of the EU directive on Equal Treatment in Social Security provision.”

My view is that it has significant implications for Westminster and Whitehall.

It means that a judge has quashed the views expressed by financial commentators  like  Frances Coppola and other people connected to the private pensions  and banking industry that there was no chance of a judicial review. It has also called into question the arguments they used over primary legislation and the  ECHR court ruling.

It will add to pressure on the Labour Party leadership to promise to do something for these women whose cause is championed  by Laura Alvarez, the partner of Jeremy Corbyn, and whose shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, is well aware of the issue, and predicted the women would win a review.

It will put enormous pressure on Amber Rudd, the new works and pensions secretary, who is already having to cope with the backlash over the mess caused by universal credit and will now have to seriously address the plight of the 50s women. It is also a  blow to the reputation of Guy Opperman, the pensions minister, who all but nearly misled Parliament by telling them that the judicial review had already been rejected.

And I am afraid the All Party Group on State Pension Inequality for Women in Westminster will have to buck their ideas up and come behind this review rather than seeking small sums of compensation for the affected women.  By taking this radical stand  and going for the jugular BackTo60 have shown the way. They have not won yet but they have got much farther than anybody thought.

 

 

 

 

 

1,144 thoughts on “Permission granted: 50s Women win historic case to judicial review on pension rights”

  1. What a heartening step forward. Well done to the pioneers and legal team. Without David Hencke I would have a much less informed view of this issue that has affected me directly.

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    • We as people approaching 60 shouldn’t have to work till 66. Women’s health deteriorate quicker than men as their bodies gone through so much. And we are the child carers for our grandchildren whose parents have to work and cannot afford childcare.

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      • Men are also child careers. So women who want pension at 60 while men must wait till 65 and women are moaning about equal pay for men and women so pensions should be in that category.

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      • Yes they should but back then women were paid a lot less than men so will they got back and readdress this short fall ? And it’s about not telling us just moving the goal post to suit them if we can find more and more money to send abroad why can’t we find enough money so that men and women can retire at a decent age.

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      • If that health thing was true then women wouldn’t, on average, live considerably longer than men as they do.

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      • Can governments steal our money without giving any notice? Why do members of parliament retire early on a fat pention .

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      • Thats exactly how I feel, I helped my children when they had there children, now this year my daughter will be 60, she already looks after her grand children on her two days off, to help out. She has just found out that she has heppititus C after a blood transfusion 34years ago, it’s been devastating to the family, but she still has to work until she’s 66 years of age , if she lives that long.

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      • Thank to this amazing steering group for fighting my corner i have worked al my life had to struggle on now at 62 no pension we should have more support i too look after granchildren so my daughter can work the hours she does

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      • I have osteoarthritis in my knees , I have another 10 years to work till i am 67. I can barely walk just now..
        ..Lower retirement age for women back down to 60. If you have your health and want to work on then that is your choice but we are not all the same and not all healthy at 60

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      • Utter rubbish. If women’s health deteriorates quicker than men’s then why do they live, on average, 5 years longer?

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      • It’s a massive step forward for women who have been unlawfully discriminated against. Our pensions were illegally taken away and arrangements previously made by just not the government pension but private pension companies were all affected by the same rules.

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      • I;m sorry, you,ve got that wrong about womens health detiorating quicker than mens. Women in the UK live longer than men.

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      • So how does that prove that our Health is not deteriorating just because you say we live longer maybe some do but what’s the point in living longer if you have bad health. Maybe if we had been paid the same wages as men for the same jobs we could have put more money aside for our pension.

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      • So you don’t really want equality then… Just to cherry pick. I’ve had my pension age raised to 68 yet I’m the very late 50’s generation too. Not exactly ‘equal opportunities is it’ what we should be asking is why women ever got to retire 5 years earlier than men, when on average they live at least 5 years longer. You just lost support from someone who always has supported equality (proper equality).

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      • I work in challenging behaviour care I’m nearly 60 and worked hard having 2 part time jobs when my children were little working weekends and evenings I truly don’t think I can do this until I’m 66 😔

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      • Not all women go through childbirth, many men work in physically demanding jobs all their lives, and men die younger on average because of this.

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      • You say not all woman go through childbirth which is true but they still work as hard as men doing the same jobs. Why shouldn’t we get our pensions when we want them people like you run the government that’s why we are all in the big brown stuff.

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      • I was 60 in April and would of been ready for my pension after working since I was 16 and the thought I now have to work another 6 years is quite worrying! Women have lost out after working all there life !! Unjust and unfair. Men used to retire at 65 they only lost out on 1 or 2 years !!

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    • Women are exhausted working beyond 60 in most jobs. They are carrying out work that they began in their teenage years or early twenties. To give examples concentration physical work brain and cognitive function all reduce as we become older. Women maybe care givers to elderly parents and help with looking after Grandchildren whilst working full or part time. We were not given enough time to pay into work or private pensions to enable enough money would cover us froml 66 or older. I know many women who have left work at 60 plus many years before they receive the state pension and are trying to survive on a much reduced income. This is so unfair. Liz Faragher

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      • This doesn’t just affect women. Your ‘health deteriorates quicker’? On average you live 5 years longer than a man. Lots of men do heavy manual labour or heavy work. Your argument lacks any objectivity. I’m now working to 68…they didn’t give me any warning, I have health issues, I’ve worked hard all my life so why do women think you’re a special case?

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      • I am writing this by way of explaining to the person that says a man has always done till 65 yrs etc.
        I did in fact write to The then DWP Minister Richard Harrington and Guy Opperman about this matter, early in our campaign. I come from a long line of construction family. I would of loved to Hv gone into that field. In1969 I started work at 15 as a filing clerk which wasn’t inspirational. In school as part science we had to bathe plastic babies make beds and cook for our future husbands. We did all the childcare. If a woman had suggested to her hubby to take time off work as a child is sick, he would of thought you mad. Think about it fella these ladies were in the main unable to get enough ‘stamps’ so you see there’s the inequality. You can’t escalate State Pension Age on the generation who never had equality.
        Today’s criteria to receive State Pension is 35yrs (was 30 until recently) many women and men will Hv done 51!
        I agree not fair men in manual or doing heart surgery but the latter can afford retire earlier pay into private pension. The CRUX We disagree with the way women were caught out by not being notified of an unprescedented 6 yr increase(The Office of National Statistic,Cridland Report rec’ds 1yrs NOTICE for every 10 )
        I hope this explains to any gent who thinks we are trying to get ‘one up’ at their expense or indeed anyone who wonders why we are so aggrieved.
        If I tell you that there was a lady who stood outside The High Court all day in the day of the hearing, she had literally just had breast cancer surgery and still had her drain in! Perhaps the image of that will bring it home to you.
        Once again thanks to David Hencke for giving us the opportunity of taking part in this forum , forever grateful ‘The Clippy’

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      • If you have paid over 48 years NI like myself.. I may empathise with you.. I still have over a year to go and still paying in. I will then have 50 fully paid years..

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      • I would like to add to this that women’s working life is so much more complex than men. Women’s maternity leave means any work related pension is negatively hit also. This makes it so much harder to get a good pension without putting extra years. I am still working full time, have an elderly mother to factor in and grandchildren, I am now 65 and do feel that as a woman nothing is actually equal because we work non stop at home and in the workplace. Our domestic duties support the social care bill

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    • Yes several (men) are fair and see reason. I like how they do it in the states (women’s lives vary, hardship thru to privilege) you can take your pension in your early 60’s or wait and take it at 65. The UK government could do the same offer a reduced rate for those at 60 (but still a livable income) or wait until 65/66 for full retirement income.
      Is it ideal maybe not but its a whole lot better than the SCAM the privileged boys club pulled 23 years ago and the fight that is enduring.
      Interesting observation when things get tough why is it women are always appointed in high positions….you never see or hear of them before and then with DWP a new person……and it’s a lady of course. Brexit – Theresa May.

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      • Really, May’s handling of Brexit a shining example. I’d rather not beat the drum for women on that, as I’d also like to forget Mrs Thatcher! As for Amber Rudd being unknown, she was Home Secretary for nearly 2 years, having to resign over the Windrush scandal.

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      • Don’t forget that it was justifiable but ultimately stupid male complaints asking why women should get their State Pension 5 years earlier than men, not the Government, that started all this. The reason for them being stupid was the request that pension age should be equalised at age 60 and the belief that there was any chance that the Government would do that, at great cost. It was obvious to anyone with a brain that what would happen would be the equalisation of pension age at 65 to actually save a fortune.

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      • I’m the same as you I’m 63 and in poor health and the dwp have said I’m fit for work I’m doing an appeal but it’s a horrible situation, I have fibromyalgia and in constant pain

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      • I am 65. I to had do retire through ill health all I received from the DWP was £39 a week. I had to sell my house in order to have money to live on…….

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    • I shed years when I read this . I am nearly 64 and I have to work until I am 67. I work full time and also help my daughter with her childcare so she can go out to work. I pay out quite a lot from my salary on tax and Ni contributions and what have the government done with all the money they have stolen from us women? . I am absolutely exhausted and would love to retire or even cut down on my working hours but can’t afoard to. The government talks about equality when it suits them but women are still the main care givers for their children, grandchildren and elderly parents.

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      • I’ve just turned 64 and still waiting for my pension, can’t work because of health issues and having to live off my husband’s pension as I was caring for a family member so couldn’t claim anything of my own.

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      • No you don’t if you are nearly 64 you get your state pension at 66 fact I know as I am exactly that age and get my state pension at 66

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      • I had to check with the pension people..I’m going to be 65 in October And advised I would be nearer 67. So there is a bit ambiguity around information out there. .

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      • YES!!!! what a result! I was born in 1957 and the only reason I know when my retirement date is, is because I filled out some info on the gov site. I started work 1 mth after my 15th birthday and can’t retire until June 2023 on my 66th birthday and I’m totally angry at this. Thank you to the women who have campaigned for this I’m so proud of how far you have gotten

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    • If we have money to send to mothers and children in other country’s because spouce is over here and who have never paid tax and NI We as pensioners were Entitled to our pension at our original pension age Of60 I waited 5 years and the bit that I really am disgusted in is the 5 months .then a month behind . Disgusted

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    • The ruling above gives some hope to us all and Well Done for al the hard work you have already Done ,im one of the ladies who has missed out on my pension ,also was previosly told all my records lost ,when they updated the computers ,and worry i will never get any pension at all .

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    • I’m 60 had to give up work through health issues and having live off my husband pension! It’s all wrong , we all ways planned our money for pension age and now having to live on a much lower income!
      I understand getting equal for men and women, but from 60 to 66 is a huge difference and we could not do anything to prepare for our retirement. We all worked, looked after parents and helped with grandchildren, when it our time to relax.

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    • I am a 64 year old lady and I accepted I would have to wait till my 64th birthday to receive my state pension that I had paid into for nearly 50 years as this was implemented very early on in my working life, so why then should a government come into office some 12 years ago and change it to 66.when I rang DWP I was told if I had been born before 14th October 1954 I would have got my state pension in December 2018 even though this does not come into force until November 2020. I can’t even have a bus pass. I have all my working life paid a full stamp.So yes I do object to having to wait a further two years for an entitlement I am due and have paid into for all these years. This is nothing to do with the age men retire. I fully agree that what should have happened when the government was debating this was the pension age for men should have been reduced to 60 alongside women giving our young people a chance of employment and skills. After all we are all entitled to a retirement.Perhaps if politions were capped on their expenses we would be able to claim our pensions at a age where we can have a quality of life in our retirement.

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      • Hi, who was it that told you if you were born before October 14th 1954 that you would get your pension in Dec 2018? Funny that as I was born 13th Oct 1954 and have to wait till Oct 2020 when I will be 66??????

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    • Heart warming to see this going a step in the right direction. Sincere thanks to all involved in instigating this process.

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    • Brilliant news I was born in 1960 and fell in to this group. I started to plan for my retirement in my mid thirties and then found out not from the DWP but from the papers that the retirement age had been raised. I was looking to retire with 33 years full contributions now when I do retire I will have 50 years full contributions. Next year will be my 60th birthday which should have been a great celebration to retire as well but know I have to work until I am 67. It is so wrong. You have my backing all the way good luck .

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    • I think the issue here is that the women expected their pension at 60, and so made decisions and financial arrangements based upon this date. The pension age was subsequently raised by 6 years +, and women did not have sufficient time or money to put alternative financial measures in place. Men however were expecting to retire at 65, and so the 1years+ does not impact quite so much. However, I appreciate that 66+ is too late for most- particularly those working in environments which require long hours, are stressful or demand physical strength. Individual circumstances such as health issues, family needs and financial circunstances also play an important role in the age you feel able/want to work.

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  2. Thank you for this, David….I know you were in Court yesterday, so saw and heard it all firsthand. We WILL win, David, even if Court Case goes against us, for somehow, we’ll bring this country to a standstill…We will NEVER give in, nor back down, nor allow this HEINOUS CRIME to continue, nor those accountable for it to be permitted to get away with it,.To learn though, that the main reason the PRIVATE PENSIONS INDUSTRY have been SO AGAINST us, throughout this time, many of their staff HOUNDING us on Twitter, calling us terrible names, making out we’re all lying, all greedy and selfish, in the hope that they will NEVER have to pay out 1950s women’s PRIVATE PENSIONS from 60, just beggars belief! They’ve EVEN tried to turn our children/grandchildren’s generation against us too…This is UTTER EVIL and these people should also be charged with Gross Negligence Manslaughter, in my view, along with EVERY politician and member of DWP who’ve gone along with the most HEINOUS CRIME against women in my lifetime, for many women on Twitter have been DEEPLY affected by the appalling things these vile people have been saying to us and about us….women who are, in many instances, already so deeply and darkly depressed that they can barely think straight any longer….

    Again, THANK YOU for this and for ALL the other mountain of research and informative blogs you’ve done for 1950s women, for BackTo60….It is SO appreciated. BIG hugs! xxx

    Liked by 5 people

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    • I worked full time and looked after my ageing Aunt and my Mother I also have grandchildren – my health deteriorated and I struggled to hold everything together I wanted to retire at 60 yr was was financially unable. I continued to work but struggled physically and emotionally. Last year I had a Heart Attack and recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Not everyone is able to work until they are 66yrs!
      I think 50,s women have been discriminated against in every way! The way this legislation was introduced is disgraceful and corrupted. This was sneaked in by the back door in the hope that they could pull this off without any fuss !!!

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      • I will be 64 in April.I have a degenerative disease and disabled.I have to work until I am 66 before I get my government pension.This government is downright wicked.I can no longer work and will be sacked.I have worked for the council for 26 years and will not be medically retired because I never paid into a pension.If it had been explained to me why I should pay into a pension then I would have paid into it.Being medically retired has nothing to do with health but money.Also discriminating against the disabled is not fair policy.I am unable through health issues to work.Maybe if I was an able-bodied person I could work till that age.So disablement discrimination comes into this category for us all to.

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      • I thank all the women and men who have fought for this. It’s about time the Government realised that this is not going away. Women fought to vote and this is another battle which will be won. I have really bad health and had to stop working and I struggle financially daily.

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      • What these people whom make this ruling is that women don’t just go out to work they are working all the time children homes family commitments hope you feel better

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    • …..and i’m told that the person who instigated this retired at 61 years on a full pension and handout of 200k+ annual payout…..one rule for the elite and another for the rest of us beggars belief…..AND they think they can get away with it ho hum!

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      • Born in 1954 now 65 years old and I’ve been robbed of 5 years of my pension. I started work at 15 years old and paid into the pension funds for 50 years where Is that money that has been taken from me. If this had been stolen from me by someone they would be done for fraud.

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    • My wife, who works at the University, has to wait for her occupational pension to be paid at 65 after years of pension forecasts saying what her pension would be at age 65. We never saw any notification of the change and she was convinced it had always been 65 until I said that I remembered it being 60 and going back through old forecasts to prove that it was. She will have to wait until age 66 for her State Pension. Robber barrons.

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    • How can they make remarks dam ignorance makes my blood boil! Get these spineless idiots in front of us women well tell them! We are campaigning for what is rightly ours how dare they!! I am really hoping the retirement age reduces down to 60 for future generations if it’s too late for us 50s ladies. I am 63 next week working as carer and physically and mentally tired. We really need to see positive result. Fingers xx

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      • I was born in 1952 & will be going back to school full time for my 46th year of teaching in September. I am way past my retirement age and admittedly have no health problems. I ate my way backwards out of Diabetes 2 (radically changed my diet) so avoided all that goes with that as I’m no longer diabetic. You do not pay contributions to your own pension when you work, you pay for those who are already retired. As the demographic triangle has been upended there are now more 65+ people than there are younger workers. Consequently it is simply not sustainable to pay pensions from 60 onwards to a population that is living far longer than previous generations. My mother taught for 28 years but received a pension for 30. That is, I repeat, unsustainable. The other ridiculous thing is that when you reach retirement age you no longer pay NI contributions if you are still working. Why not? There’d be a lot more money in the govt’s pot & what you’ve never had you don’t miss. If we want equality with men then we should indeed get a full pension, with credits paid by the govt for years off to raise children etc, but we should get the pension from the same age that men do. Equality is equality, not just in fields of our choosing.

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      • The government choose to pass the equality law and the didn’t follow through, that’s the point.

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      • The government choose to pass the equality law and then didn’t follow through, that’s the point.

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    • There are lots of people like me out there, who will stand up for you if need be when the time comes. I.e if you need to bring it even more so into public domain.
      I totally agree with what someone said above, in this day n age most women have to go to work, so not only have we brought our own children up and worked we are now helping our children to bring g our grandchildren up and work. As well as looking after our parents in Ill health.
      It’s like a big wheel. Government need to look at the bigger picture. If we didn’t have to juggle work childcare n elderly care when older, people may not need to rely on local services as much for help. I.e day care, nurserys, home help etc….
      If you need the wider publics help, try n make more public on media sites etc…. we will be their to support you all x

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      • Those saying about there not being enough in the pot to pay out are forgetting about men that paid in for 35 years and were due to retire but died…. at one time their wife would get a widows pension from their contributions for their life unless they remarried or Co habit ed. Now 60 % of what the wife should have received is deducted if the men also paid into a private pension scheme, the wives are then taxed on both pensions again at 20% minimum rate. Plus nowadays the wife only gets the widows pension for 1 year !!! So all this additional money paid in especially if the man is not married or a widower goes back into the government pot to pay to people who have not paid in yet can get a pension. People may be living longer but where are the statistics regarding the amount of men and women that paid in but didn’t live long enough to get their pensions ? Also although wives get a widows pension if their husband’s die, men do not get a widowers pension if the wife dies irrespective of how many years she had paid in …. I left school on Friday and started work on the Monday, I have been on the dole for just 1 year following the birth of my second child and never received any benifit’s ever. Yet my heating allowance was defered at 60 til 63 and at 63 defered til 65 .. my pension defered from 60 til 66 and I doubt very much if I will get it then … The money my husband worked 35 years for was taxed and NI contributions taken pro rata, 60% is now deducted as he also paid into a private pension and I am taxed again on both pensions. But to add insult to injury a further amount has been taken of £28pm as tax I would have been paying on my own pension even though I can’t get my pension until I am 66 !!! How can this possibly be fair?

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    • It’s been in the news for over 20 years so people should have been prepared surely. You can’t blame others if you do not prepare yourself for what has been widely reported about for 20 years and more. Why should women retire earlier than men, when women typically live longer too. Where’s the equality in that. It’s only right all people retire at the same age.

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      • Many men die young because they drink and smoke and generally abuse themselves more. But they also earn so much more! Then they die of stress.;)

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    • Well said Lizzie – this is after all OUR money not a benefit also – my dates have been moved not once but TWICE due to when i was born second change mean;t waiting another 18 months. I cannot work due osteo in both knees cannot walk – they are unlawful in not giving us not only our money but the contribution of our previous employers. Surely to god they have broken a Contract which would NOT be allowed in any other areas of business. And the insufficient time for people to organise their lives to allow for the delay in receiving our pensions, it cannot happen overnight it takes years.

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    • Thank you BackTo60 for all your hard work it is much appreciated. I started full time work at age 15 and have worked most of my life. Where is the money i paid to the government for my pension? They didn’t even have the decency to inform me that they were going to Rob me of 6 years pension. It is disgraceful the way the government has carried this out.

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    • The Pension age for Women should have stayed available at 60 years and for men be brought down to 60 yrs. Lots of people struggle with health etc way before they turn 60.

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    • I am 60 My job is doing night shifts in the caring for the elderly. And I have been doing this job for a long time. I don’t know how long I can do this job

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  3. As a 1950’s woman I am absolutely delighted that we are going to have our day in court. Successive governments have hidden behind equality laws, cherry picking those that would encourage the majority to demonise our situation. Misogynists, rife with bile, now seem to have been outed by Philip Alston, Rapporteur for United Nations, actually stated that the policies put in place over the past ten years, in the name of austerity, could not have dreamed up anything worse for the majority of women, who, he said, had been the most affected by all of the cuts. All women.

    Along with the information regarding how representatives have attended meetings regarding CEDAW, Equality Rights and Human Rights discussions and signed up to abiding by them and have in fact broke more than they have upheld. The State Pension being one, gender pay, Care Act 2014 supposedly put into place to help carers, the majority of who are …….yes you gused it women!!!

    I hope and pray that this opens the doors for other organisations to question detrimental to women legislation.

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  4. The changes to women’s pensions is immoral.
    The government changed the number of years to pay National Insurance from 30 to 35 years!
    I paid back National Insurance up to 30 years: I have just found out I have to pay 5 more years to get a full pension! I will get my pension in 4 months time when I am 65 years & 3 months- were they ever going to tell me I needed to pay 5 more years of National Insurance contributions to receive the maximum pension?
    I completed my forms online months ago & am still waiting to hear how much more I have to pay.
    If I don’t pay before March 2019, then I have lost the difference in pension payments, but I’ve done everything I’ve been asked to do but the pensions office is delaying informing me.
    The irony is, had I received my pension at 60- which was MY right, I would NOT have had to pay 5 more years NI contributions!!!!!!
    Who is going to stand up for is 3.9 million women?

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    • I have a letter from the Pension Sevice dated March 2012 advising that my pension age would be my 66th Birthday (born Dec 1954). The same letter states: ‘The numer of ‘qualifying years’ of paid or credited National Insurance contributions you need for a full basic State Pension has been reduced to 30 years.’ The goal posts just keep changing!

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      • I was also born in June 1954 (5th).
        My pension eventually pays out in December 2019, instead of my 65th birthday.
        OK, I’m male .. but we to have been discriminated by the pension age meddling.

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      • I received a similar letter in June 2012 stating that the qualifying years was 30. I had 32 years – it said I need do nothing. Found out by chance about it being raised to 35. Have managed to pay two lump sums of NI contributions (£750 approx each) from a meagre private pension pot which is almost gone. Will still fall short of full pension (three months short of 66th birthday) due to ‘contracting out’ (because I took out a private pension when briefly earning well). So doubly conned. It makes my blood boil. Thank you David Henke and all supporters of this calumny.

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      • I was also born in 1954 and had expected to receive my pension age 60. Because of this disgraceful discrimination I have had to take up another job which is very part time but all that my health will allow me to do. Sadly I am worse off than I would be if getting my pension as most part time work is very poorly paid. It’s high time that this government was held to account as it continues to discriminate against the poor and women!

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      • Yes. YOU are responsible for checking that you have paid enough full years.
        I’m still trying to sort mine out- when is the UK Govt going to join the 21st century & have ID Cards so we don’t have to contact multiple departments about our pensions?

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      • You should contact HMRC to find out about your contributions or register on GOV.UK and you can get a forecast it will show you how many years you have paid and exactly what years you have missed. Mind if your in a works pension they years don’t count towards your 35

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    • Hi
      What about the women who through working part time paid a reduced married woman contribution, being told they would be able to claim off their Husbands contributions. I have worked at least 40 years but on checking DWP web site I have only 27 years contribution. my Husband has 45+ years. surely some of these belong to me as promised.

      Eileen from Halifax

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      • The married women’s reduced-rate NI contribution (originally costing 4d a week to cover ia state pension paid for by full-rate NI)ustrial injuries benefits only) was not just for part-time employment. Any woman could choose it over paying vastly more expensive full-rate NI contributions and most newly married women did, so they could get maximum take-home pay. They had to sign a declaration acknowledging that they were aware that these 4-penny stamps did not count for anything but industrial injuries benefit ie not for sickness benefit or retirement pension. The reduced-rate NI for newly married women was abolished about 40 or 50 years ago but existing women paying it could continue to pay it. The married women’s pension on her husband’s insurance was introduced because, at that time, most married women did not work so enabling them to rely/get a pension (albeit less than on their husbands’ NI for a pension. A married man paid no more NI than a single man but his wife got that pension on his NI, effectively a freebie In the later days, long after abolition of the right to pay reduced-rate NI, say about 10 or 15 years ago, when most married women worked and had to pay full-rate NI, the married-women’s pension, as it was known, was considered an anomaly and hence abolished. Nothing unfair at all about that situation.

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    • Don’t forget that it’s only a few years ago that the Government reduced the working life (the number of years you have to pay full-rate NI contributions to qualify for a full basic pension) from 44 years for a man and 39 years for a woman to 30 years for everyone, supposedly to simplify the position. The real reason why was that at the same time by abolishing earnings-related pension (SERPS) and replacing it with a flat-rate (though increased over existing basic) State Pension would save a shed-load of cash. Obviously if they have now up’d it to 35 years (I’m no longer up-to-date on pensions legislation) it
      simply means that, with hindsight, they didn’t save as much as they predicted and now want to claw more back.

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      • They say 35 years how comes most of us are paying 50 full years contributions but we don’t get any more pension I have checked my government pension it says that I have 44 years fully paid but that I must carry on working till 2024 why?

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      • Sounds like you were opted out SERPS, I’m the same worked 44years but have to work another 5years to get full state pension, I worked for police and all public workers are the same

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      • But I have never worked for the public sector I was a merchant seaman, public house landlady, factories worker and retail so when was sector out I’m really puzzled 😕

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      • The entire pensions rehash has/ is a complete mess, since it was meddled with to save money. It might have saved money on pension payments, but the effect on the health service, families, relationships and poverty are potentially vastly higher. Those things have a cost to society too!

         Women born I the 50s, were promised a pension at age 60, yet after a lifetime of work the goal posts have been moved and some are expected to work until age 67. Meaning that some women,  if they continued working after age 60, to age 67 they would have contributed  NI for 51 years!!!! That in itself creates a huge discrepancy in fairness and equality for all.  I do wonder if a full equality impact assessment was carried out when the changes were first suggested, and the equality impact assessments on the speeded- up changes was also considered fully in the round? Maybe those documents are key to the issues hand and need careful scrutiny, they may be key to women getting the pensions they paid in for. People in/ or with a mix of private and public work have the added blow, in that they were FORCED to be in serps, thus reducing their expcted state pension further. The includes staff such as nurses and social service staff, who were more !ikely to be women at the time.   Sadly,  Trades Unions perhaps also need to take some responsibility here, as they should have been aware of the potential problems, such changes and inclusion in serps would create. Some Trades Unions now appear to have disassociated themselves ( or remained very quiet)  on supporing  the plight 50s women now face. That needs to change if the Trades Unions really care about equality. The new state pension arangements require 35 years of contributions, so someone in both central government and DWP  needs to do the maths, and recognise that 50s women have been dealt a very poor deal indeed.  Let’s hope that Micheal Mansfield QC can get the Government to see the inequality that exists, and replace the stolen pensions.  Thank you David for your continued use support with the matter. Kayti

        Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

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    • Do not buy any contribution years before 2016. All those years pre 2016 are capped at 30 and buying more years will not get you one more penny in pension. I am the exact same age as you and when I asked why I had 40yrs of full contributions I wasn’t entitled to full pension, that is what I was told by the DWP, only years bought after 2016 would increase my pension as that could only be a maximum of 4yrs so I still couldn’t get a full pension.

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  6. Congratulations David, this is yet another informative wee article (mind you’ve accidentally put “3.8 million wonder” instead of “3.8 million women” & duplicated “made by” in the 12th paragraph, but I digress, lol) 👍 We #50sBornWomen at #BackTo60 really do so appreciate you! Total Thanks (TT) #OneVoice

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      • I too am a 1954 born February woman eventually my pension will be paid in August this year don’t understand why ? That is surely should be paid on 65 birthday! Anyway I too really appreciate your support and pray for a positive outcome and that I won’t have to continue the daily grind through another summer it is my dream to have less financial pressure and a nest egg for my latter years
        Thank you David X

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      • My own example demonstrates the craziness of these changes. Your 65th birthday is in February and you say pension will be paid in AUGUST 2019. My 65th is in October. And my pension will not be paid till OCTOBER 2020 when I am 66. I would give up my job for someone younger however not possible as I need incone too!!

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      • Yes me June 1954 Can’t retire till Jan 2020 Just had to start yet another new job! I hear there are delays when we reach Pension Age. Once JD out the way I am going to check that out. If you know anyone already retired and you know when they got their first payment please share so we all know what to expect. I will ask my school mate, was in my year at school but born 53 already retired. She worked BA since 16. I Hv had more jobs than that since I should of retired at 60😕good luck ladies Angie @Retrowedding #BATTLEBUS

        Sent from my iPhone

        >

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    • Under the old State Pension rules a man had to pay 44 years of qualifying years NI to get a full basic pension, whereas a woman only had to pay 39 (both called the working life). Yet another anomaly. Revised about 10 years ago to 30 years for both. Now out of the loop in pensions info, I see that people are saying that it’s upped to 35 for both. If so, then that’s just a money-saving Government trick.

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  7. Absolutely brilliant!! Restored my faith in the judicial system 😉….a huge thank you to the barristers and all the tenacious ladies who kept on fighting THANK YOU xxxxxx

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  9. Thank you David for getting the information and analysis out to us so swiftly and providing a link to the transcript, gratefully received and posted out to all my contacts.

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    • I am 65 in April but dont get my pension until November .WHY. it should be 60 for both women and men . We have worked long enough . Let the young ones take over . Should have apprenticeships for all young people . Not everyone can work on due to ill health . Me included

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      • It will end up the whole work force will be elderly and the young will all be out of work all thanks to this stupid goverment

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  11. I am absolutely delighted with this outcome. I am just hoping the judicial review has such a positive outcome. I will be 64 in January and , like the many others, I only received a letter 2 years before my 60th birthday saying my SP age was now 64yrs and 10 months, then shortly after that another letter saying it would now be 66!!! I cried, how can that be fair or legal? A huge change like that should have been phased in over many years not bulldozed in and MPs parting themselves on the back. They should walk in our shoes. ….
    Thank you so much to everyone who is fighting our corner.

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    • I was 64 in October and am due to retire in September 2020 – three weeks before my 66th birthday. I never received any letters stating pension age changes, I looked up the changes online. My retirement age moved from 60 to 64 and then a double whammy when it changed again and moved to three weeks short of my 66th birthday. In all, just short of six years extra to work.

      Denise

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      • I’m just the same. went 64 in August and can retire a few weeks before my 66th birthday. I also have not had any notification of this. I had to look up om web site. it’s really disgusting. My Husband who is nearly 67 is still working as he says what is he going to do all day while I am working.

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      • Exactly the same scenario for me. I never received any correspondence and only discovered that my pension age had changed to 63 when I looked it up on the government website, aged 59. I was devastated. Even more devastated when I looked it up a year later and was told I would be 65 years and 10 months when I would receive my pension. Still no correspondence. It has been changed and I will get it 5 months earlier now. Whoopee.

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      • I was 64 8th September but my retirement date is 6th Sept 2020. It went from 60 to 63, 65 then 66 so you may be wrong thinking you’re retiring 3 weeks early!

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  13. The maladministration goes further than not informing women properly because the governments that have been power failed to put in the correct legislation to ensure that work places provide a pension. That has only been enforced last year and some large companies get round that via zero contracts or very part time hours.
    All people should retire at 60 men and women. We are blocking jobs from the younger generations and are unable to care for elderley parents and grandchildren. I had come very depressed about this, but am vastly cheered! I am going to write again to my MP Karen Bradley who is the only MP who failed to hand in her constituency’s WASPI petition. Thankyou.

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    • Several years ago I emailed my MP to ask what his views were on this very subject, his assistant emailed back a few weeks later requesting my post code, I can only assume it was to check that I was one of said MPs constituents. 12 months later, having heard nothing I emailed again, still no response to this day. I can only assume he didn’t wish to give his views. Disgusting.
      1953 born and still working but very very tired..

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  14. I am one of the women affected. I wanted to retire at 60 to look after my mother who was ill and frail. I ended up working until I was 64 and 5 months. I could not get my state pension before then. I did get time with my mum. 5 WEEKS and then she died. Angry and sad
    Thank you to all the people who are pushing this forward. To the women who have protested thank you. To the people who are standing up for what is moral and right. Thank you

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  15. Well done all. A great step forward. Lets hope the goverment get a huge knockback on this one. I am feeling pretty vindictive at the moment having been told i have to keep my business going to enable me to pay class 2 self employed NI contributions until 2022 (my pension date) or lose around £20.00 a week off my pension for the whole of my retirement. This was despite having 38 years fully paid NI contributions. No proper explanation when i asked why had we all been informed that we needed 35 years worth to get our pension. Felt compleatly misled. Was more than a little supprised and very upset about this as i am finding it so tiring and was hoping to be able to slow down a bit.

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  16. They want to bring women in line with men for retirement but have they said that they will also reconcile the wage differences between 1950s woman and her male counterparts as the men earned more meaning that they could put more into thier their pension?

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  20. Thankyou David for your continued support and putting into words what is happening. I was born in 1956 and put in for retirement when I was 59 1/2 not realising I had to wait another 6 years for my state pension. I hope we can win because I don’t think 50s women will give up.

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  21. Just so so overwhelmed that you have got us ladies a step further to win our battle. After losing my husband to Cancer 11 years ago at the age of 49 and getting Cancer myself once in 2010 and a different Cancer in 2015 always worked up until then I hope I will be here to see a happy ending to this outrageous unfairness the government has put us ladues of the 50s in I am 62 next birthday so.please please keep fighting for us xx

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  22. Thankyou David for all of your help and support. Governments should have realised that there would not be employment for people of our age! and then not to give us any support is disgusting! How would they like to be in our position! But of coarse, they make sure they are alright!!!

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  23. A well deserved outcome for all of the women who have been treated as if they don’t matter & had had their money taken from them illegally. Laws have been broken & it was assumed that women would not fight back.
    Thankyou to all those who have made it possible for this to happen & given hope where it was needed.

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  24. Thank you David for your clear explanation on the position of the Judicial Review and thank you for all your research and investigation into the 1950s women’s pension scandal. This injustice is so huge, total maladministration and mismanagment and not just failure to inform women of the changes but misleading information (Govt websites in 2016 still informing women they retired at 60 years of age, Job Centres giving the same information.) Many women made life-changing decisions before knowing of the changes to their pension ages but many of their husbands and partners did too. Some husbands and partners were being made redundant during the austerity cuts and making their choices on their redundancy and early retirement based on believing their wives, partners had their pensions at 60. So many organisations and companies were not even aware also of changes and advising their retirees accordingly. So many in this position made uninformed decisions on their futures which has compounded the already critical situation for women. We will never give up. Thank you.

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  26. Great news. My pension age has moved twice but at no point have I received any notification. I know many women for whom this has caused hardship because their ability to pay into a private pension was affected by years spent child rearing whether full or part time. It is still mainly women who arrange their lives around their families, who give up work to look after relatives, and whose earnings and therefore pensions are adversely affected. We deserve a better deal.

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  27. Leaving everything else to one side, the Barber judgement in 1990 ruled that rights to occupational scheme benefits had to be equal between men and women. This has been underscored by the recent Lloyds ruling.
    Regardless of any ruling in this Judicial Review, that principle will not be affected.

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  28. Thank you for all your support but was wondering if you could answer something for me .
    I was born 1955. 2 pension people told me l would be 65 from 1995 act but there was a paper artical in the guardian 6th October 2009 with David Cameron stateing from 2010 /2020 women’s pension age goes up by one year every two that’s proves l was going to be about 63 from the 1995 act as many other women have said
    but then they brought in 2011 act which gave me an extra 3 years not 18 months as government keep saying
    If l was going to be 65 from 1995 act and was born 1955 that’s would mean the 1995 act was done between 2010 to 2015 and they did not need to bring forward the 2011 to 2016
    Women born 1950 retires 2010
    Me 5 years younger get mine 6 years later how can that be fair .
    Thanks

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    • The 1995 act timetable is viewable online. If you were born in 1955 your spa would have been 64-65 under the 1995 act.

      The statement from the guardian article is by the author, rather than a direct quote from Cameron. It also stated that the age of 60 would increase by 1 year every 2 years upto 2020. This is correct, although it could have been clearer.

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    • Yes good comment. My work colleague born early 60s, she has no idea when she will retire. She works 6 days has arthritis in her knees and back, physically she is knackered can not retire been told by the goons w/o have peas for a brain she is fit to work !

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    • I am one of those people. Born January 1960, so looks like still won’t get a pension till I’m 66 even after paying the required years. Plan was to go part time at 60 due to I’ll health.

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  30. Many thanks to all involved in this fight for the 50s generation of women. We who left school at 15 and 16 and worked for years on lower pay than male workers; we were denied access to further education (eg all females and I was one, were denied day release to take insurance exams at a well known insurance company; working for a nationalized industry I was then denied progression on to the HNC, after doing very well on the ONC in Business Studies, simply because in the interim period I had married). Again all of this contributed to women earning less than men because promotion was barred to them due to the qualifications issue. The Married Women’s stamp further penalised women further down the years. Private pension arrangements favoured male workers compared to women. Women worked and have been the primary carers for children, dependants, elderly and sick relatives, saving the government a fortune. They have found that there was and still is discrimination against women over the age of 50 today in the workplace, unless the work does not pay well and is part time. Many have to struggle with health issues, including life threatening cancers and other conditions but still have to work somehow as many of these will not have the cushion of a private pension that many men of their generation were able to take aged 60…. the list goes on. If this was really about gender inequality then these women should be receiving compensation for years, decades even, due to the blatant inequalities they have suffered. Then to add insult to injury government has not informed these women in time for them to make suitable arrangements, could they even do so, to somehow prepare for, not one, but two changes to the state pension age. Most women have more than met the required number of years but apparently overpaying is irrelevant. Some I have known have died before being able to draw their pension. Shame on the MPs who have not supported those female constituents who have been robbed of what was rightfully theirs. We should have a list of them and take action to unseat them at the next available opportunity. Equalizing pensions – rubbish!

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    • I would have liked everything you have said (as a 60s women) but it leads to ‘having an account with WordPress’. I began work in 1977 for a national bank who “expected me to leave having babies” when I asked for time off to sit the ONC exams instead of taking days from my holiday. I had learned that all those getting this and time to revise, too, were male graduates. I left – it was the only way to keep up with technology and remain employable. Early 90s’ I transferred from the arm of a national building society / plc (that year) to a subsidiary (financial services for Investment & Pension) with part of the insurance exams passed and requiring sponsorship to pass the second. (Then, you could realise promotion as a Financial Consultant if you had passed two parts; later it increased to three.) I was refused by my boss (Regional Manager) because “it is not relevant to your job). Later, I discovered that he didn’t have the qualification himself. (He was demoted later because of complaints by women feeling mis-treated in similar ways.). When a family member was dying, I asked if I could work part-time. (Then if you employed more that 15 staff, it was illegal to turn someone down from this request.) There was 9 of in the office, he managed 4 Unit Managers and they had teams of 10 or more people. He got around it on a technicality and said my job was full-time. I resigned. A year later, they were all made redundant. From there, I went to a charity part-time but they didn’t have a pension. Whatever, I was paying national insurance stamps. (NOBODY ADVISED ME ABOUT TOP-UPS.) Then, age 39 I left (pregnant) because the Company Secretary said their were no maternity arrangements. (She was married to a regional insurance manager who had just set up his own company!). When I was listening to other soon to be mum’s at a aquanatal class, I was astounded at how clued up they were at claiming benefits with much less time than me to qualify for them. I queried with Social Services why my baby was being prejudiced against. They said that I had left two weeks to early! SO my contributions counted for diddly squat. Also, my son was 6 months too early for Gordon Browns £500 to invest for new-borns. Since my child has been in school, I have worked part-time but learnt, by default, that if you leave part of the way through a year that your contributions don’t count as a full years. MANY of my peers have NO IDEA about this! WHERE IS THE INFORMATION? I am sick of ALL governments incompetence of realising the impact on women. It is not ignorance, is it arrogance. Even now, they seem to have no morale bone to ease this situation. The timing for me has meant that I am in the middle. My child has been subject to all the educaiton curriculum changes and had to remain in school a further two years. While we have battled elder parents than most. Losing one, just as my child started school and another before had finished primary years. One now have two types of Demential and has gone through all the savings her husband left her in one year of care! We now have to sell her home. My father is on the brink of this, too. To me, there is nowhere to turn.

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  36. Well done what a fantastic result, Thank you to Michael Mansfield and his team along with everyone invloved in supporting this injustice to 1950’s women.

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  37. Brilliant, how long will a judicial review take to complete? My wife was born in 1957 and took early retirement from her job at 60. Keep up the fight ladies right this injustice.

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  38. As a women born in the 1950’s I would like to say ‘thank you’ to all concerned with the fight to right this injustice.
    I personally have come across so many women in my age group struggling on a daily basis because of the circumstances they find themselves in due to not receiving their pension as expected.
    Many I know are having to do two or three jobs ( taxed accordingly) to ‘just about manage’.
    Quality of life is greatly diminished and health issues at this age can present problems with their endeavours to continue working whilst supporting older family members as well
    The Westminster elite bubble are yet again unaware of the silent hard working middle England in this case women who are monitoring this particular campaign and feel let down and disenchanted by government decisions over the last 40 plus years.
    ‘There are none so blind as those that will not see’

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  39. what about women born in the 1960’s we have to wait until 67 year of age, we will suffer the same hardship as the women born in the 1950’s it is the same inequality against females only

    also women that escaped violent husbands in police and we get pension from them have to wait until we are 60, we cant reinvest it why not , if we win that pension in law it should become ours, again the law is hell bent on inequality against women who have been in the most violent of homes because our ex husbands felt being coppers meant they could and their forces permitted it …. like being beaten all over again in many ways

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  40. If I stole £48,000 from the government I would have been sent to prison for theft. Even though I have 45 years NIC contribution but only needed 30 years to qualify. It has stolen 6 years pension from me and 6 years retirement. Absolutely disgusting. Looking forward to my refund

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  41. Generally us women born 8n the 50,s had lower wages related to what were considered femsle roled ie cleaning ,nursing etc We eete not given an opportunity to make alternstive plans I am 62 have worked full time from the age 14 ,I have paid my dues and deserve my pension at 60 so that i could either retire of lower my working hours

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  42. I had no formal warning. We have been well and truly misled. I thought I was getting my pension. Im 61. My sister and some of my friends who were born in the 50’s are no longer with us. Went to their graves in the last couplr6of years and never had a penny of their pension. My sister was 63. She was robbed of approximately 21k.
    Where is our money, we paid in. I worked 7 days a week, some weeks. 😠 Its in some fat cat’s trouser pocket. 😠

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  43. .. this is great news and hopefully the rule fir all will be overturned! Will the decision help us born in the 60’s and 70’s who were told to pay a contribution to a pension we’d get at a certain age only to be told no you won’t now? I get a little confused if it’s the fact that the government ‘changed the goalpost’ mid contract that’s under review or just women born in the 50’s as that are affected now, where’s as I’ll be affected in 4 years? If a private company took money on false pretences as the government has they would have been prosecuted! Thanks and well done to all that have fought to get this far!

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  44. Just a big thankyou to all those who are fighting for us 50s born women.
    I was born 1958.pension due 67yr.
    By the time I get there they will try and move the goalposts again.it has to stop so we can enjoy what life we have left and not have to continue working in till maybe the day we die.

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  45. Well done for keeping the pressure on!! Already done much more for us 50’s baby girls than anyone thought possible. Praying that justice will prevail and we win the fight against this totally unjust system. I am 63 now so have missed out on thousands of pounds of my entitlement already with still another 3 years to wait!!!!!

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  46. Thank you Mr Hencke for this article which shows the depth and the travesty that is being currently inflicted on myself and all the women affected by 60, did I read that right these 60, changes to pension arrangements. Buried deep in small print, how were women kept informed, not at all. Certainly not me. The DWP, subsequent Governments since ’95, Pension Companies are at last being called to account. Thank you Hon Justice Lang.

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  52. Thank you David for your valuable support.
    In 1988 I had contributed 10 years to the NHS pension scheme. After the birth of my first child I returned to work as a nurse 2 days a week to be informed that I was excluded from contributing ( inc the employer contribution ) to the NHS scheme as I was now working too few hours. I lost valuable service credit until I was able to work increased hours. This is factual and was the legal framework of the scheme. Women of course were the main group disadvantaged by these “rules”. I am sure the legal team will look at these disadvantages. The granting of the JR appears to be bringing Backto60, Waspi and other groups together, this is all for the good.

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  53. Thank you so much to everyone who is fighting on our behalf. This is hopeful news. I am fast approaching 63 and I am beginning to suffer with terrible pain in my knees, back and wrists. Working I. Education is so demanding both physically and emotionally. It’s difficult getting through each day. My Dad passed away at 69 having worked hard all of his life and my Aunty passed away at 59. I am so afraid that if I work until I’m 66 the same thing will happen to me. My husband is 7 years older than I so I really worry what quality of life and how long we will have left together. I have worked since I was 15.i think I have done more than my share just like other ladies born in the 50s. God bless you and thank you for fighting for our lives .

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  54. A victory for common sense at last but as I approach my 64th birthday I anticipate that nothing will be resolved in the courts until I reach my 66th birthday and have the chance to finally retire (working part time currently as care for grandchildren and elderly mother too). The scale of discrimination for some is horrendous and I count myself amongst some of those, with gender discrimination etc rearing its head on numerous occasions as a consequence of being a 1950s (1955) born female. At 17 I joined the Armed Forces, I married (no living together then) and fell pregnant with my daughter…predates the SDA so no recourse to compensation and had to resign from my job. As I left in 1974 I am not able to claim any pension from this service as to qualify you had to serve 22 years (this was amended in 1975 but isn’t retrospective), second opportunity for discrimination…had I not been female I would not have had to leave my job. Usual story of part time working due to husbands posting around country and need to manage family commitments. Began FT work in 1987 in the public sector…consequently contracted out of SERPS which means that my state pension will be reduced by almost £100 a month…do I have a huge public sector pension, absolutely not, was it a contributory pension, yes it was. I feel absolutely stymied at every turn, worked hard, paid lots and lots in tax and NI…still paying it…but I will still get a reduced pension…Couldn’t make it up. I will certainly be watching with interest to see how the DWP respond to this success.

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    • Guy Opperman did say it had been refused. He went on to say there was a new application that is correct. What he should have said is that there had been a new application and it had been granted for a hearing on November 30. That has been known for some time.

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  60. I was born in December 1956 l started work when l was 15 years of age, l needed to retire when l was 60 years l was informed that l would have to work till l was 66 can anyone please tell me why. I still have to work another 4 years l have paid my national insurance contributions. My friend retired at 60 years of age with a full pension she had not worked for years has a bus pass. I feel so upset that l have to work when others don’t.

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  61. Thank goodness for all involved. I hope the 50’s women win this case. An injury at work 3 months after my 60th Birthday, has left me poverty stricken on JSA/ESA.

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  62. Briilant I was born in 1957 and was never told of the changes i have to work another 5 years and have arthritis in both hips i hope and pray they can help us women born in the 1950s.

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  65. Thank you so much to all involved in – fighting for truth, justice and humanity, its great to have some good news in these troubling times

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  67. Thank you to everyone involved in helping us, I’m a dec 1954 baby and have to wait another two years getting old and worn out 🙁

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  68. I think this is great news , as for them saying they wanted it to be in line with men !! Well during work life we are not in line with men – equal pay !!!
    I am one of born in the fifties and I suffer with dark depression and anxiety – I have worked from age of fifteen with a Saturday job then full time , and still no pension

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  69. I have been affected mentally, physically and socially by this underhand raising of the pension age, I have had profound health issues negatively affected by this. I have had to use my minimal savings in place of my anticipated and planned pension contribution to my budget. I now live in a caravan with No fixed abode status while teaching as a private tutor. I am unable to get full time paid teaching jobs at the age of 64 with my health issues. It is a constant lonely struggle to try to keep above my overdraft limit as I do not appear to qualify for any assistance as I am in a caravan. I have had to cancel appointments to hospitals in Manchester since I am based in Reading and can not afford to either drive or take the train. I have a serious life threatening condition. I, like all the women concerned, have spent my life being given fewer opportunities and being paid less for the same work as men. I feel desperate and have considered the suicide way out of this awful situation I have spiralled down into due entirely to the callous cavalier way the government steamrollered the ramping up of pension age. Presumably we are the easy target, we will take it lying down. Well how proud I am of these wonderful women and supporting men who have taken the fight to the courts. Thank you, You give me hope.

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  70. Incredible progress in what was thought to be a lost cause. Some women have had to remain in work much longer than they had expected, some had to give up and accept a reduced pension for when it would become payable. I agree that the whole system was set up at much too short notice and is inequitable. The women affected have a right to be heard and to be compensated for their losses. Whilst I am one of them, being in the first group of those affected, I was still able to survive but other slightly younger friends are forced to work way beyond their expected age and in some jobs and professions this is unfair and impractical. Younger women won’t even be able to retire with time to rest as their reward. Equality with men may be on the cards but ensure fair notice for all to allow proper financial planning and perhaps longer holidays during their working lives.

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  71. What great news for all women in their 60’s robbed by the government who give themselves huge amounts of money to do this !

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  72. This is excellent news. I can add to the list of discriminations by advising that I personally have been additionally discriminated against in having my child in 1974. I am 2 years missing in National Insurance contributions as i had my boy, looked after him and suffered severe post natal depression leading to 2 weeks in hospital with 6 sessions of ECT. The regulations changed so that in 1978 women receiving child benefit could be given credits to cover unpaid NI contributions. I was not allowed any credits as my 2 missing years were before 1978. And so I am yet again discriminated against. My husband at the time abandoned the marriage when my son was 15 months old so the struggle was continuous and all he paid us was £5 per week until my son finished full time education. He never defaulted on the £5 but £5 in 1976 was a far different valuation as the years passed. Discrimination has been a way of life for so many of us 1950s ladies so it is truely excellent news that the review has been allowed. I only hope that as a group we will be successful and this discrimination against us will be rectified.

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  73. This is excellent news. I can add to the list of discriminations by advising that I personally have been additionally discriminated against in having my child in 1974. I am 2 years missing in National Insurance contributions as i had my boy, looked after him and suffered severe post natal depression leading to 2 weeks in hospital with 6 sessions of ECT. The regulations changed so that in 1978 women receiving child benefit could be given credits to cover unpaid NI contributions. I was not allowed any credits as my 2 missing years were before 1978. And so I am yet again discriminated against. My husband at the time abandoned the marriage when my son was 15 months old so the struggle was continuous and all he paid us was £5 per week until my son finished full time education. He never defaulted on the £5 but £5 in 1976 was a far different valuation as the years passed. Discrimination has been a way of life for so many of us 1950s ladies so it is truely excellent news that the review has been allowed. I only hope that as a group we will be successful and this discrimination against us will be rectified. I have just been told this is a duplicate comment and i have already said this. NO IT ISNT. NO I HAVENT. CANT I EVEN HAVE MY SAY NOW ???

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  74. A huge step forward 1950s women let’s hope we are successful in ending this gross injustice. Many thanks for all the support the 1950s women are receiving.

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  75. I have paid 48 years full National Insurance. !!!! I am very proud of you who are fighting for our rights. I have been a supporter both groups. I am a Waspie. I am not being greedy just asking for what I was promised. THANK YOU ….

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  76. I took early retirement (born 1957) age 59, then found out 6 months later, that because I worked for police and they were opted out of SERPS, I was told I needed to work another 5yrs to get a full state pension. I already have 44 yrs full national insurance contributions and they want me to work another 5 yrs, meaning 50 yrs working to get full state pension, its a joke. I left school at 15 and worked ever since, where has all the money gone I have paid in, I would be dead if I have to work another 5 yrs, that would please them as they wouldn’t have to pay me anything. I am so angry at the way we have been treated, my good friend died February, she was the same as me worked all her life, she’s not getting her pension, where has the money gone?

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  77. When you think about how much money has gone into negotiating Brexit, to no end, the amount taken from women pales into insignificance. At the root of it all in the corridors of power is the deep-rooted mysoginistic view that women of the fifties should have been good little women and secured a future through their ‘hubbies’. And now we learn that the private pensions sector are ‘uneasy’ because the neat little ‘fix’ their mates sorted out for their greed-induced pension pot black hole might not work after all. I am so proud of the backto60 movement and quite sure that this is just the beginning of a rising tide of citizens who have had enough of twenty first century serfdom.

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  79. As a women born on 1955 I give Heartfelt thanks to all for not giving up on the cause of all 1950’s women. You have given us hope that all is not lost. Thank you

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  80. I am unable to claim support as I have a small private pension and finding it very difficult to live on £440 per month and not able to claim state pension for another 3 years. If the pension was paid at 60yrs I would be able to keep my home and live a normal life , I hope this decision is successful and we get our pension soon .

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    • I agree I was born in 1960. I have already paid in enough ni to receive maximum pension. All extra ni I pay goes elsewhere. I cannot increase my pension but have to carry on working and paying more ni till I reach 67!! 🤔 Age 60 is old enough to retire. Give the young school leavers more opportunity to get a job! Give us a few years to enjoy whatever number of years we have left. No one knows how long we have on this planet. Give us chance to receive back some of what we have paid in.

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  82. A big thank you to all who has helped us 1950s women, so thrilled with the outcome, I am in ill heath and have to rely on my husbands pension hope all turns out well can’t thank you enough for getting us this far

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  84. I too am a woman in my 60s (born in 1957). I currently have paid into the scheme of over 40 years in NI contributions, but not only have I been prevented from getting my State Pension at age 60 because of the changes ( or should 8 say theft?!), but the Government website now states that I need to make further contributions to get a full State Pension at age 66.

    That is impossible because I do not have any paid employment, and unfair in the extreme. The Government trumpets that to get a full State Pension requires ‘only 35 years of conributions’! So with that in mind, does anyone at DWP very read or listen to the nonsense they currently spout? Moreover, does anyone understand true equality or even contractual rights and obligations?

    I want the pension I paid in for and understood that I would get at age 60, so I thank all of those who are fighting this dreadful and unjust stuation. Keep challenging the inequality!
    Katie

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  86. Well done.
    What I can’t understand is why the BBC is giving this cause virtually no coverage. Most women of our age had low paid jobs and little chance of gaining the same wage as our partners. We still see women of today fighting for their equal pay.

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  87. Brilliant it’s so bad this I’m very upset as I live in Spain and was really relying on my pension it’s 6 years they have tool from me

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  88. I am a 50s woman robbed of my state pension and am so proud of all the #backto60 women, we have fought a hard battle and we will not back down we want what is rightfully ours and we won’t settle for anything less. If as we have been told this robbery of our SP is in the name of Equality why not bring men’s retirement age down to 60? It’s because it’s not in the name of Equality and it never was!!

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  92. My state pension age has been increased three times to 66 (born 59). If we ALL registered for jobseekers allowance for six months in order to get the National Insurance credit (even if we were not allowed to claim any money) the job centres & DWP would be overwhelmed. We might be able to sign on for 6 months every year to get the credit which would seriously increase unemployment figures etc etc.

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  93. I need to be involved as I am one of the millions of women born in the 50 s and had to suffer financial stress anxiety and disappointment working a lifetime still not able to have my well earned state pension til 6 months after being 65

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  95. This is brilliant news. I was born in 1954 and worked since I was 16. My retirement at 60 was raised to 65years and 6 months. At 49 I had heart surgery and a stroke. I had to go back to work after 2 years. I took early retirement at 57 as I was getting very tired. My husband has been expected to keep me ever since. My family suffers with a congenital heart condition and I didn’t want to die before I could enjoy my retirement.

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  99. Thank you so much. Your constant battle to win justice for the 50’s female babies is appreciated more than you will ever know. I was born in August 1954 so you can imagine my disapointment of adding on so many years with no notice. This was greatly unfair and has affected too many lives. With out you we would hear nothing.

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  100. Thank you for your continuing round-up of events and useful comments putting it into the bigger picture David. This decision by Justice Lang is the only decent move made by anyone with any power to unravel the half-baked mess that the Tories began in 1995. It also lends a lie to all those currently in power who have stated and continue to dogmatically pretend their pensions review had anything to do with equality. It didn’t. It was all about stealing any savings from wherever they thought they could get away with it and dressing it up as equality. If equality was their serious aim, where is any attempt to rectify gender pay gap, gender pension gap and payments of State benefits at a shambles of rates – invariably lower for women? Justice has been served by Justice Lang – a woman in the midst of the argument on the same age grounds as her plaintiffs. At last – a woman dealing with her own age and gender properly and justly. Are you listening Mrs May??

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  101. Well it’s a great start buts let’s take it all the way and wiin our plight 1950s women . We deserve to get what is owed, another misdemeanour by Westminster and Whitehall

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  102. I can’t tell you the anguish I have gone through these last 5 years – having to carry on working in a stressful job because I could not afford to stop at 60- I had no time to adjust or save. People just older than me were able to retire years before me. As a single person this has put such a strain on me.

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  104. well we have been deadly ripped off, so if all the banks, etc who have ripped people off have had to repay people what has been improperly taken from them, and are having to pay back, with interest too, then that it what our government can do too.

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  105. Don’t forget the knock on effect of these pension changes on other entitlements causing even greater discrimination and financial hardship. Where I live in West Lancashire women are no longer entitled to free train and bus passes as WLBC have linked entitlement to state pension age !

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    • The change in free bus passes applies to all of the UK, not just your council.
      Are you aware that Ireland, Wales, Scotland & London give free travel from the age of 60?
      It is only ENGLAND who only give travel benefits when you receive your pension. How unfair!!!

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  106. When the pension rules changed I was undergoing a year of cancer treatment; at the same time they stopped my State disability benefit. The chemo caused permanent heart damage which prevented me returning to work so I had no income at all and could not save more into a private pension. Stuck in a cleft stick for 9 years I had to live off my retirement savings until I was old enough to get my state pension this month, at age 65. I did have sickness insurance, but it stopped at the old pension age of 60. It was a financially crippling experience (we had to sell our family home to release equity) – fortunately I had enough NI in the bank to get a full pension when the time came. I hope there will be some kind of retrospective compensation.

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  107. This is brilliant news and hopefully we will win this one . After all this is something we all paid into as well as our employers . In my eyes it was a contract between us and the government and they have breached that contract. It was like a savings that we should have been able to draw out when we were 60 not wait until we are 66 . It’s making life so hard for lots of women and it’s just not right

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  108. I am so grateful for alll the hard work you and others have gone to to finally get our position looked at. I have a question in that I started work in a June 1972. I was born in 1955 do I have to continue to contribute until I retire which I understand is now in 2021. I have worked 46 years and have contributed for 46 years!!
    Thank you
    Janet Adams .

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  110. I think this is shocking!! That they didn’t warn us earlier that this was going to happen, I was born in 1957 & have to wait until I’m 66 until I get state pension. I believe that I have been done out of around £30,000. Times

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  111. The powers that be thought that we women would just take this lying down . Well we have shown them we are strong and we will fight for our rights. Well done to all concerned for the effort that has gone into this campaign

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  112. I would like to bring to the attention of those against giving us women our pension that most of us are on the menopause and are trying to work whilst surviving on 2hrs a night sleep so for all the men against us getting our pension it’s sexism

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  113. As a Woman with Chronic Comodibitites whose State Pension has been deferred Twice …… I can now sleep again at night!
    A huge thanks to The Back to 60 Campigners and Crowdfunders & David Hencke!

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  114. Hi I live in Australia and I am 62 , I worked full
    Time in the Uk from 1972 until 2004 please can you advise me
    When I might receive a Uk pension thanks

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    • Hi good question, I would think I am afraid in four years time as the pension age rises to 66 in 2020. As you live in Australia it won’t be uprated but frozen at the rate they pay you then.

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  116. The core of this awful situation is that in order to be treated equal in retirement women should have had the opportunity to prepare for retirement equally. Women born in the ’50d did NOT have that opportunity. Many jobs were not even open to women to apply for and many were declined access to a pension scheme for various reasons beyond their control. It is not saving money as most women have paid all that they were allowed to, into the system and were not informed in time that they needed to make other arrangements if they wanted to retire at 60 rather than the 66 or so. Money has been paid in for that purpose so it is only just that it is paid out to women fairly.

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  117. Does this mean we “50’s “may get back the 5 or 6 years monies we had to work after reaching 60 .
    I officially retire March 2019 and I still have to pay to go to work . It would be nice to hear your views.
    Thankyou

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  120. This is a good victory but leads to an even bigger question. There is a reason why women were allowed to retire at 60. Women tend to enter “caring” professions which are extremely physical and tirering then, as surveys and reports show they tend to carry responsibility for the majority of home “caring” as well as the childbearing etc. In effect working women are undertaking more than 1 job. Is it unfair then to allow them to retire at least from “paid” work at 60 especially those undertaking physical jobs when their bodies have simply had enough.

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  121. I have just been reading comments from other people regarding the amount of years required to enable a person to claim state pension. I am confused. If women have been working since leaving school at (for example) 18 and carried on working through having and bringing up children (not to mention those who don’t have children) surely they will have paid “in” for 30+ years by the time they are 60. This being the case, any further monies they “pay in” by working past those 30 years is theirs and by refusing to pay out through the pension system, the government and any subsequent governments are guilty of theft.

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  123. 2 weeks after my 60th birthday I broke my back in 3 places at work. Turns out I have osteoporosis and arthritis, (to add to the diabetes and cataracts forming…)
    If I had retired at 60, this would not have happened. So I lost my job, (they made me redundant) and for 4 months I have been recovering on Universal Credit. U/C is worked out very unfairly. I have had a total of £216 from them since 13th August. My next payment is 29th DEC. My rent alone is over £600 per month. Can anyone do the maths?
    Yes, in the few months since I have NOT been able to retire, my health has deteriorated immensely, and my finances are shot. I am now in debt to everyone….several thousands of pounds. ALL BECAUSE I COULD NOT RETIRE AT 60.
    And once recovered I have to find a new job. Who wants to take on a lady nearing retirement in failing health?

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  125. Music to my ears reading this, the famous FC has been so cruel. I’ve been called, Stupid, lazy, money grabbing however the patronising comments have been the worst. Nursing from the age of 16 now 63 has taken its toll on physical & mental health. All I want is the SP I was promised at the age of 60. DWP informed me 3 years before my 60 th

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  126. Yes lets have Justice for the 2,8 million woman who have, lets face it money and time of life stolen from them, and also there Husbands, Partners, and The rest of there families lives being changed .A travesty of justice, and if a change of government occurs, this has to be still be addressed.

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  127. Not only am i looking for a result on this topic.
    I was widowed nearly 7 years ago. Somewhere along the line they abolished widows pension. I always say the mafia stole my husband’s money. That money he paid was for his retirement or to be passed to me as a widow. The same applies if it had been the other way round and the woman paid her contributions. It’s what my husband was led to believe when he starting paying his contributions back in 1973.

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  128. I was made to work on other 5 years and 5 months was so looking forward to retirement have not got excellent health and work 34hrs a work and it’s not sitting on my backside it’s quite hard work not like the government people sitting down all day and the have long hols as well

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  129. When I started work my ‘contract’ with the government was that I would receive my pension at age 60. They broke that contract!

    Thank you to everyone fighting for all 50’s women. A great victory so far.

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    • I am 66 on the 31st January how do I find out when I will get my pension? Someone told me it’s 6 months after your birthday is this Right? Be nice to retire in the summer.

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      • You must go on the Gov.uk website ASAP and register to view you pension – you are a few months older than me and I should get my pension at Christmas so you should get yours before that late summer/early autumn maybe??

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  131. Good for all concerned
    Government think they can move the goalpost whenever they like.
    We as humans,voters and tax payer
    Should have a say before anything is changed

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  132. Pingback: Buying Anything for No Money Down: Podcast Ep 207

  133. I am now 64 years old couldn’t claim my pension as the age was put up to 66 and I have not been able to get a job since 2015 as soon as you state your age they don’t want to employ a 60 year old so since then I have really struggled to meet ends my husband works long hours to cover our bills but I cannot even claim as he works more than 16 hours I find this very degrading and shameful as I have worked all my life and there’s not a thing I can do about it shame on the government for doing this to woman of a certain age

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  134. Hope they get Justice, what worries me is the Con Conservatives will just drag on with Brexit, and make time run out with WASPI, AND WHEN THEY GO OR GET CHANGE of GOVERNMENT, they will just put it into Labours hands,so they can wash there hands of it, and Labour will look bad and will take this mess on.

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  136. I personally was given three dates of my retirement they were 62, then 64 but I’m now working till I’m 66 I feel very let down by the powered that be I also lost the opportunity to defer my pension if I wanted to carry on. Now I have been diagnosed with life changing problems and I feel I should be retired already just like anyone in position.

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  137. Pingback: David Hencke Westminster and Whitehall news investigations Statement | HOLLIE GREIG JUSTICE : KAREN IRVINE IS EL COYOTE IS SNAKE LOGAN IS HOAXTEAD

  140. The Discrimination and Hatred of this Conservatives Goverment goes on,shame to the faceless MPs that have allowed this to happen, and to listen to the Queens speak yesterday, shows how out of touch and none caring this Country has become.Steal from the poor and give to the rich.If any woman ,or there partner ,or children over voting age ever vote Conservative again they deserve all they DON’T get.

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  143. This has had a massive impact on many women’s lives born in the 1950’s. We don’t want something for nothing we just want fairness. Why should we have taken the brunt of the pension reforms. Were not stupid we know changes happen but changes should demonstrate fairness and equality. This change isolated a group of people and impacted on their daily life and choices in their life. No group of people should have been impacted on in the way the DWP pushed through their changes.
    DWP have caused misery and anger for many 1950’s women they should be made accountable. Thank you to all involved in getting this to a review and I’m sure we all await and hope for a satisfactory conclusion. Dee

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  145. Like a lot of ladies i had no choice but to continue working until 61.5 years though not in good health,it was a struggle being made to wait for my pension..
    .

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  146. I am going to ask about this eighteen months addition after the first letter. I was sent a letter that told me I would be 62 when I got my pension and I phoned up and was assured that I had enough contributions. Then I got a letter saying I would be 64 and then another saying I would be 65 and a half. Now I read somewhere that no woman would have to wait longer than eighteen months from the first letter. I am therefore owed at least two years money already. Can David Hencke check this for me?

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  147. It is with great delight to read this having had no notification of these rises, in poor health having my pension would make a massive difference to my life

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  149. I was born Nov 1951 but never got my State Pension until July 2012 when I was nearly 62 does this ruling have any affect on me

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  151. I’m not a 50s woman, but thoroughly appreciate their fight for all women…this will eventually affect myself and my daughter, so THANK YOU to them for their courage and determination!!

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  152. Fantastic news . They need to change the ruling . It was so unfair . I have a friend and she it 9 months older than i . She got her pension last year or the year before and i dont get mine till im 66 . Where is the justice xx

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  153. As a fifties women caught up in this mess and suffering financially as a result I am delighted with the progress and hopeful that now the voice of all affected will be heard and monies lost through no fault of our own will be returned. We should all stand up for justice and thank you to those who are doing that

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  154. I will be 62yrs old in March. I have always worked since leaving school at 15. I have paid into the system continuously. I would love to help.out with Grandchildren duties as my Son & Daughter in law work full time to afford a mortgage. I’m still working, as my husband & I used our savings to put them on the property market, as they could not afford to rent. Is any of this right?

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  155. Absolutely brilliant news. A step forward but I despair the establishment will not allow it to go any further. So many women my age who have worked for over 45 years thinking they would be retiring at 60 have made no financial provision and or not fit to work. A sad state of affairs and a sorry succession of poor governments

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  156. The best news I’ve heard in four years. I am 64 years of age, unwell after surgery and being sent for medical after 6 weeks despite having paid N I contributions for 48 years

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  158. I am 64 am working full time .its not easy at my age but I need my pension to live so I will be 66 when I retire . It’s not right at all . I get very tired ,can’t really enjoy life .

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  159. Justice has to be done for 50s Women we worked straight from leaving School at 16 paying into Ni and Tax. We didnt have the choices we had to go out and start earning.
    But In recent years. Girls can now go to college or Uni at 19 and don’t start working till their early to mid 20s. When they eventually start a career then start making contributions to NI and Tax. I will have worked from 16 – 66 = 50 years. A women today will probably on average start a job 25 – 70 = 45 years so why have 5 years being added to the 50s women who also earned salaries less than men at that time and we had worse career options compared to then and now. We are owed financially and should be compensated not only for the injustice then, but also from the 1970s until the date By Law the equality pay act was introduced to try and make it an even playing field on earnings. WOMEN OF THE 50s SHOULD NOT SUFFER ANY MORE. WE WANT WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SHORT CHANGED + COMPENSATION. WHY ARE WE STILL WAITING THERE ALREADY IS A LAW AGAINST INEQUALITY IN EARNINGS.

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    • I’m a 60s woman, who started work at 16 . I have been paid less than men all my working life. When I started work my retirement was 60yr old . I cant retire until 67. So far I’ll have worked 51 yrs before I get my pension.
      When do I get my back to 60?!

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  162. I have worked since I was 13 and should have retired 18 months ago at 60. Instead I am having to work with I’ll health until I am 66. This is great news and a step in the right direction.

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  164. A massive thank you to everyone who are fighting to get our pension age put back to 60, I have c o p d and now unable to work ii have another 3years to get my pension x

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  166. If a private company miss managed and or miss appropriates funds the Pension Regulator steps in. Why is no one being held to account.

    Thank you for all of your hard work there are a lot of people out there really appreciative of what you are trying to do.

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  167. I am so delighted to have a glimmer of hope to get the pension that I worked so hard for. I am retired on ill health and at age 63 have three years before I can get my state pension and am struggling to make ends meet as under the present law I cannot get any financial support

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  169. Thankyou so much for all your hard work its one step up. I was born in 1957 and cut my working week to three days because of my health there a lot worse than me thankyou it gives me some hope.x

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  170. Born Dec 1954 by the time I am 66 the government will have kept £43.000 this is robbery and should never have come to this. Do they think the inland revenue would of allowed us to Rob them of this much money. I for one think not. I was never Informed of the changes, I am disabled so I cannot do an aprentashjp as was proposed to us, this for me is ludicrous. There are not enough jobs for the younger generation so how are they going to find jobs for the over 60 people. If we had been told we could and would of made arrangements for this later pension. But now we depend on chartiy shops food banks and help off our family whenever possibilities. I see the man who proposed this idea retired at 61 and on a generous amount I hope he is hanging his head in shame

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  171. It should stay at 60 .Totally disagree with pension at 65 for anyone.If someone wants to carry on after 60 fare enough .But it should go back to 60 .I was born in1960.And in to ill to work .Instead of getting my pension at 60.l have to go through the hell the DWP are putting ill and disabiled people through.Its a evil system which is destroying peoples lifes so instead of looking forward to retirement ive 5yrs off misery to battle to get the help i should be intitle to .Its a disgrace.Evil Tory government destroying old and vunerable people .x

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  172. Fantastic news, I would have retired this year as I will be 60 yrs old, I have worked since I was 16yrs old even when I had 4 children.
    Paid contributions are all up to date.
    I have health condition and still have to continue working.
    The goverment never ever told us about the increase in retirement age, just went ahead and did it.goodluck

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  173. Many thanks to all the strong, brave women and their advisors for taking the time and initiative to fight for the cause of 50s women. Best wishes and thanks again

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  174. I am now 62, I have worked since i was 15 years old, i am a beautician, i have cut back on my work as it is now too much for me, someone younger should be doing my job now, I don’t have the same energy anymore, you ladies have done a wonderful job for us all, good luck to you all, and a great new year
    Loraine

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  176. I have to work until I’m 66 to draw my state pension. I am 62 and not in good health. I have already had one operation for spondylolithesis and need a fusion operation soon. I work full time travelling to central London. The journey and working is taking it’s toll on me. The DWP do not seem to take into consideration not all women are fit and healthy to carry on working. They see us as a number only and not as a person , also how much money can they save from not paying us our pension…..which we have paid into. The pension is not a benefit.

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  178. Well done hopefully from 66 it will be reduced down, has like alot of women work’t all my life. Till I was taken ill now can’t work due to Lung disease and my husband past away 55years age 24years in forces. I don’t get much to live on. But would help if I got my pension at 60 .don’t see why I should have to wait, possibility I might not make it, be nice to get that pension now

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    • Thank you
      I am 61 and work full time and I am wornout I was born in 1957 , don’t know how much longer I can work.38hr week .

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  179. I too am a 50’s woman and was astounded when I heard that I’d have to work longer and as I was fairly fit at the time thought “ Oh ! well just get your head down and work “ and for 3 years did just that …. but due to the Nursing profession and my employers not listening when I told them I was stressed I left just before I was 62 ( I was doing 4 days work in 2 days but in the end was often working
    4-5 days a week Let’s hope we have a positive outcome – I’m amazed and pleased to see that Backto60 have our back …….

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  180. I am 61 and work 38hrs a week , I was born 1957. At the moment I am only looking forward to my 66th year so I can stop working and that’s my only goal ! This is so wrong .
    Thank you

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  181. I have worked all my life. I’m 60 this year and would dearly have hoped to go part time after suffering grade 3 breast cancer with spread to lymph nodes in 2010. I underwent a mastectomy, 6 months of chemo, a whole year on a Herceptin drip. In 2013 I had a breast reconstruction, 3 further corrective surgeries and have only just found I have contracted BIA ALCL. This is a cancer caused by the implants in reconstruction. It is a cancer of the immune system, a Lymphoma cancer. I underwent 7 weeks of tests, including having bone marrow taken, this was to check if the cancer had spread through my body. I’m left with a weak arm and a lot of body pain. I can’t do a lot of the things I used to. I applied for a working PIP payment to help me with extra costs this is causing and the DWP refused my claim. So good luck with lowering our pension age. Hell will freeze over first. I’ve been in the newspapers about my illness, struggle to work everyday and can’t get any help. Country is disgusting.

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  182. Well done to BackTo60 si pleased someone had brought this to the attention of the counrty. Gravely unfair each time i checked as a moved tiwards my 60th birthday the date when i could retire had moved further away. My husband and i were 60 and 65 within 9.months of each other. But he is now 70 and he still has nearly two years to wait for me to retire. That and the fact i have been paying national insurance since i was 14 means i have 52 years of contributions when i only needed 30 surely the predicament we all find ourselves in is wrong in so many ways. Goid luck to you. I wait to here your news!!

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  183. Just hope the fight will continue for us ladies born in the 60’s.
    I am 54 ,work full time , have various heaLth issues , look after an elderly relative and at present have another 13 yrs go.
    The government might as well sign up a contact with funeral directors to give them a list of women ready to retire at that age as we will be popping out clogs soon after if not before !!!

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    • I was born 1961 and the thought of working till I’m 67 is very daunting. I have worked since I was 16 leaving to have a family and then doing lower paid jobs to keep going.
      So let’s hope they bring it down for all women.

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  184. That goodness someone is finally listening to our injustice. We want our pension that we’ve payed in. I’ve worked from leaving school at 15 and and still working at 63. Please let us retire while we’ve still got breath in our body.x

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  185. That goodness someone is finally listening to our injustice. We want our pension that we’ve payed in. I’ve worked from leaving school at 15 and still working at 63. Please let us retire while we’ve still got breath in our body.x

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  186. My brother in law wasb65 last week. He gets his state pension in March this year. I’m 65 in September and havevto wait until September 2020 for my state pension. This is NOT equality.
    Thank you to everyone that is involved in the fight to get what is rightly ours.

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  189. Well done Ladies!!! We have worked hard all our lives knowing we would get the state pension at 60 and just before we retire we are told we would have to wait another 5.5 years, its a disgrace. Good luck for the future.

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  190. At last…some recognition. I, like many other women born in the 50’s will not receive my pension until I am 67. This is outrageous. I started work at 15 years old and worked all my life. At 62 I now find I am having to take on any work I can find at my age to make ends meet. No one wants to employ me at this age when there are so many younger women available for work. I have considered selling my property which is now mortgage free just to enable me to survive for another 5 years until I receive my state pension.

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  191. Surley 3.8 million women who have to work because we cant have our pension gave their jobs to the younger generation the government would save money on benefits.???

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  192. I am a 61 year old female working for the Scottish Ambulance Service on Accident and Emegency ,I have worked with the S.A.S since 1992.I am exhausted 12 hour unsocial able shifts … I should be retired the DWP put an end to that …..

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  193. Thank you David Hencke and to Catherine Rayner and Michael Mansfield for this historic victory and championing the cause for a group that have been so unfairly and illegally treated. I o ce heard Michael Mansfield speak when I was a young student at Oxford, such an incisive and eloquent person! So privileged to have him fight for us. I have 38 years full entitlement to State pension, have worked longer than that, employed people, raised kids and my Local Government pension paid out at 60. Without warning, and no opportunity to consult an actuary to put in place any kind of plan to top up my pension, I am now forced to work hard for another 6 years to make a living. It is now being shown for what it is, disenfranchising, stealing and discriminating unjustly against a group the government thought would not fight back. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and many others.

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  194. Speaking from a care workers point of view not only have given birth 3 times I have also cared for older people for the past 35 years plus which has had a massive impact on my body as I was before the Manual handling policy was introduced as part of health and safety act I was expected to manoeuvre and lift people who were excessively overweight on my own. I can honestly say my body is knackered and I truly believe if I have to work until I’m 67 as it stands at the moment I will be going into work on a Zimmer frame.

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  195. Thank goodness for people like David hence and his team , most of us women born in the 50s have worked since the age of fifteen we have paid into the system for all those years and deserve to get our pensions at the age of sixty like we should have done in the first place

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  196. This is a fantastic result, the hard work and dedication by all involved to the 50’s women have given hope, and knowledge to these women who would have remained ignorant of the greed of the governments pension changes that have been bestowed upon them, not upon the enforcers I may had, the enforcers pension is one they will florish upon and enjoy in their old age, it’s often the vulnerable, their ignorance taken advantage of, has is often the case. I would like to say, ‘thank you’.

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  197. I am 62 years old I have worked from being 15 unforgently I lost my husband 6 years ago. I had no option but to give up work to look after him. He never received a pension. I feel that I have been cheated out of the pension I should have had at 60 the government have changed the goal post so many times that now I will not be entitled to a state pension till I’m 66 and 7months surely this could have been done more fairly for women my age

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  198. As above Iv worked In the care sector for 30 years and have had to do moving and handling on individuals without any lifting appliances in the early years, I’m coming up to 60 shortly and wondering how can i keep this up until I’m 66 I’m in constant pain with my back etc and would like to thank you very much for fighting this case.

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  199. Happy to hear the news. Iam sixty four in April and iam finding it hard now working full time. We should be able to retire at sixty or reduce the hours we work knowing we have a state pension to fall back on. I read Italy has reduced the age for claming state pension. As for the Government saying it was to save money how low can they get. 😬😬😬😬

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  200. Excellent news. I’m 62 in February was never notified of any changes. Cannot work due to ill health hopefully things will get sorted.

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  202. Fantastic news thanks for all your hard work……Ive worked full time since I was 14yrs old paid full NI & TAX and still working Am 61years old and finding it really hard
    Let’s hope something is done real soon

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  203. So excited to hear the news I am 63 and have been working since I was 16 paid all my contributions my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved fighting this case

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  204. I am so glad to hear this news, it’s brilliant! I will be 63 this year, I am a 3rd time stage 4 breast cancer patient & I have Rheumatoid Arthritis as well, I can’t wait to retire, it has been my biggest moan, not being able to retire, after all I have done a pension forecast & have paid everything, so why can’t I retire! Here’s hoping!

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  205. Excellent news for the 50s ladies! The whole process has been badly handled by governments and a lot of women have suffered due to bad decisions.

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    • Hi David, With all this activity going on from the “injured parties” what is the next move or action to be taken moving forward Kind regards Julian Partner of an “injured party” !

      Sent from my iPhone

      >

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      • I really appreciate all the people who are fighting our corner
        ladies families are suffering grand child care exetra
        Since leaving school I have worked even when I had my children I did part time as I am age 60 this year myself still working have a daughter with autism look after my mother with dementia also help out my grandchild it seems that we need to be made from elastic as I am all over the place !!!!!
        In my opinion families are suffering in a lot of ways since this was put into force
        I am one who would love to see it reversed!!!!
        Many thanks
        again to all involved x

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  207. This is fantastic news for all women I did finish at 60 but couldn’t get my state pension till 63 I felt beholden to my husband as I’d always paid my way and I’m one of the lucky ones.

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  208. Thanks for this article. My wife is one of those born in the 50s and we live in Australia affected by the double injustice of the pension rules having been persuaded by DWP to buy in added years to get the full pension and be told AFTERWARDS that the pension would NOT be index linked (and taxed as foreign income by Australia). Hopefully this review may see the cost of living increase restored for those living in the Dominions.

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  210. I am a 50 s woman. I took early retirement from the NHS for health reasons. I suggest on a daily basis to make ends meet. I claim no benefits ,to be able to access my state pension (I am 63 now)would take so much pressure off for me.Good luck with the persist for 50s women,for me it would be a life changer. May be able to take a holiday.!

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  211. Fantastic news for all women. I do believe men and women retirement age needs to be reduced. I have worked since I was 13 years old, full time since 16 years old, always paid my contributions believing I would retire at 60. Got to work till I am 67 now, it is a disgrace that the government can just “make this change”. Some of my colleagues, who should have already retired, look exhausted and tired because working full time is too much for them. Work has become a very much more stressful place to work than previously. Government introduce this scheme to save money – don’t have to pay out pensions until later years and women will get worn out and probably won’t be mentally or physically fit enough to enjoy their pension years. Disgrace.

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  212. Hope we win this case and get reimbursed .
    When you’ve always been told you will retire at 60 and get that in your mind set and then have the rug and financial loss pulled from under you it takes some getting used to .
    I turned 60 this year and although the mind is willing the body is getting ready for winding down ., Fair enough if you feel you want to carry on working but the choice was snatched away from us .
    I’m a carer and it’s quite a physical job , which I now have to continue till the age of 66 .
    I just hope I’m able to continue doing the job to the best of my ability .

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  213. I was born in 53 and l had my State Pension date moved twice was 64 and 10months when l did finally receive it and had to work up to that date had 44yrs of Nl contributions Thankyou ladies for all your support and let’s keep it up.

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  214. Excellent news. I have worked all my life paid my tax and ni since I was 16.Never claimed anything from the government however I have just turned 60 and really need to retire now due to health so that I can enjoy retirement.
    Men and women really need to have the choice as to what age they retire . I strongly feel retirement age should be 60 for men and women so that they have some time to enjoy retirement.
    I sincerely hope that back to 60 and WASPI women get the changes for us all.

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  215. Not only am I not getting my state pension they are taking my private pension off my universal credit and leaving me with nothing,I’m just so upset

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  216. Well done to you . I had to retire early due to ill health . The changes from the dwp mean not only that i get no welfare but not havubg my pension at 60 has left me wanting ! When people pay insurance the contract is sealed .
    Pension was paid ! It is not a benifit . We paid into it and the goal post should not have been moved . This would be bullying under any other conditions !

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  217. I was 62.5 when I received my state pension retired at 63. I had geared my life to retiring at 60. As I got my pension in 2015 Ialso missed out on the increased rate so double whammy. Good luck with continuing to try and get us ladies what we were entitled to. Thank you for your hard work so far.

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  218. This is very good news and I am a little hopeful at last. It is so unfair to have worked for so long, expecting to retire at 60 and finding out way too late that I must carry on to 66. If this had been handled properly I might have been able to take mitigating action. I can’t work full time due to ill health so my pension will be badly affected when I get it.

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  221. I have like most worked all my life, I am full of arthritis and still working in the care sector I feel robbed and let down by government well done for those fighting this for us women

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  222. I am 65 10th March 2019…yet I don’t get my pension until September 2019…
    I missed out retiring by 9 weeks…so bloody annoying and unfair…
    I have the worry of assessments until my retirement…
    You rock ladies…

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    • I’m in the same position as you 65 in May. I decided in my late 50s to semi retire and gave my notice in and accepted a part time position thinking I would get my pension at 62. They changed the date again during this period and now getting a couple of months after you. I would have stayed full time for another three years if I’d known. Devistating and life changing when you’ve geared yourself up and worked out you’re finances. I hope we get some sort of redress but I won’t hold my breath.

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  223. I fail to see how it saves the government money surely a young person with children needing the job I have to stay longer in is having to claim more than the average pension

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  225. Well done to all involved, Ive been working since I was 13 and full time from age 16 and ive another 7 years to go. Lets hope they dont take too long . Thank you.

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  227. Well done to you all I was born in 1958 and have worked and paid tax all my life .Now at 61 this year am taking “early retirement “At a great loss financially because our retirement age was altered without our knowledge.I feel very strothat we should be able to retire at planned age of 60

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  228. Too damned right we yook lower wages while male partners got the tax sllowance for enough years The conservatives could lise a lot of votes here Do the right thing The politicians rake it in with their pensions I worked from agec15 full time ,am 62 with still 4 years til i can retire The pokiticians were in uni then being subsidised bt the likes of me

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  229. This is wonderful. I have two friends. We were all born in 1953.
    One friend born March 1953 got her state pension March 2016. My other friend birmingham July 1953 got her pension July 2017. I was born November 1953 and have only just got my pension November 2018.
    All born same year but it has taken three years for us to get our entitlement. We all worked the whole of our lives and paid full benefits so we’re entitled to the maximunion.
    It is so unfair

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    • If only… I was born 11 months after you and have to wait till October 2020 at the earliest.. if I didn’t laugh…I’d cry… Will keep up the good fight!!!!!!

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  230. Well done a bit of good news, keep the pressure on, government ripping off the ordenary hard working women the right to a pension yet protecting there golden hand shake pensions, pay up government like you made the banks do for ripping us off with PPI,

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  232. Well done to you all, I’m a 50s women living in Spain will be 60 this year I’ve had numerous surgeries two on my spine I am unable to work can’t get any financial help either here in Spain or UK whom say because I have not paid in to the system for over 5 yrs (forget all the years I have paid) I’m not entitled so to get my state pension before I’m 65 would be so helpful not having to rely on my partner

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  233. I’m a 50s woman and had to leave my job as a Carer 4 years ago due to ill health I will be 65 in May and have to wait another year for my pension I rely on my husband financially as I have nothing coming in for me which I find degrading as I have always earned my own money

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  234. Worked from 15 never out of work paid dues expecting state pension at 60 government changed the goal posts late in the game so still not getting pension at 64 ROBBED!!!!! G Roberts

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  236. I am at a loss to understand why some local authority pensions are still payable to women at age 60, cannot be deferred until 65 or they will be lost and to add insult to injury if still working which of course we are because now we are not yet entitled to our old age pension, then we must pay tax on the local authority pension. #doublewhammy #notright

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  239. Fantastic, why should we wait until we’re 66. Started work at 16 paid all my taxes and NI and would love to enjoy life now. All those lazy can work won’t work folks, should not receive pensions at all and that will save money for the government.

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  241. Well done to all involved, it is so hard and so unfair to move the goalpost for people born in the 50s when they have been planning all their working life to reach pension age. So many people are struggling. I’ve been working from the age of 13 on sat am and 14yrs full time.

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  243. Well done everyone’s for all your hard work brilliant news I’m 63 still have 3more years left before I get my state pension this is so unfair let hope something is done soon keep. up the good work every one who is involved

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  244. Well done. So many women of my generation are adversely affected by the changes and the lack of information and advice as to the future impacts.
    So as the generation that didn’t have equal pay or employment opportunities or a guaranteed return to work after pregnancy or adequate maternity pay provisions we have been badly let down by successive government. I was prepared for a rise to 62yrs and find the loss of income even more galling after working for more than 46 years and paying into the National Insurance system only to be told I have to wait another four years. And don’t get me started on the “ we are are all living longer” justification. Longevity increases have stalled and I suspect when the wartime generation are passed we will find that longevity will start to fall as the impact of working women since the 1970s starts to take effect

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  245. Knew nothing about the pension age being raised until a few years ago when it is too late to do anything about and had a sick husband who then died to find out that the widow pension had also ceased the government should stop immigration and then they would have the money that we r entitled too

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  246. Well done to all the ladies and their supporters that have worked tirelessly to win the opportunity for a judicial review
    Its well deserved and fair that this should be heard in the public domain as like many women I too have worked since the age of 15 paid into the system and will not receive my state pension until the age of 66

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  247. This news makes me feel emotional I have worked as a nurse in the NHS for fourty years it’s a very physical fast moving environment. I have nurses bad back as we had to lift manually as we were taught lifts that are banned today. Osteoarthritis now and I need to continue until my state pension starts.Thsnkyou to the people fighting this case.

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  248. Thank you for all uour hard work and I am very grateful that you have brought this case.
    I am 64 years old, have RA and work full time.
    I have worked since I was 17 years old, paid tax and NI and think this situation is unfair.

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  249. Well done everone please keep up with your hard work I am 63 and working 2 jobs I have worked since I was 15 and can’t get my pension till I am 66 and I have a heart problem . Good luck to you all from someone who hopes you can get us all enjoying our retirement the way we should be……..

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  251. I was born in 1961, had to retire at 55 due to ill health, brain tumour. I am in exactly the same boat. I can’t get state pension until I’m 67. The study should be extended to the mid-sixties! Hilary Hedison

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  253. I have paid national insurance since I was 18 and work ever since.in the NHS. I was born August 55. My state pension is age 66 and I am still paying ni. I am not entitled to a full pension as unknown to me NHS was contracted out and I have been paying a reduced ni payment. So double wammy wanting extra 6 years and a reduced pension after working & paying ni for 48 years.

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  254. Well done to all the people fighting for the judicial review. When my wife and I married we looked to the future and the fact that due to the difference in age we could both retire together and enjoy later life. Thanks the the government my wife has been forced to carry on working. This may not seem a hardship to a lot of people but after 42 years of marriage we where hoping for some quality time together.
    In the 70s the government urged people to plan for the future.
    I for one hope the the judicial review overturns the original decision I would be happy for the pension my wife has paid into all her working life to be reinstated.
    I would forgo any compensation just to have my wife where she should be at 62.
    Once again we’ll done to all the people involved.

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  255. Well done and thank you for all your hard work. I was born in 1956, worked since 16 years old and paid into the system believing I would retire with a pension at 60. I’m now 62 and have another 4 years to work to live and pay my bills, (never ‘qualified’ for benefits), before I receive my state pension.

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  256. Brilliant new 👏👏Thank You Very Much to all those involved. I am 65 this August and after giving my job up 7yrs ago to look after my Mum when my Dad passed away I am now struggling to get a job. I don’t claim any benefits as my husband is still working at 666 so at least we have his wage. Thanks again.

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  257. I like many others have worked all my life and been short changed with the pension age being unlawfully moved!. I had to take retirement from the NHS due to ill health at the age of 61 when I had expected to be able to work till I was at least 65 and had a five year plan to pay off mortgage and other financial commitments by that age. I have found myself having to consider everything I spend due to having had to meet those financial matters but having my state pension would have made a huge difference!. None of us can predict good or bad health- I think the government will save huge amounts of money at the expense of our good health. A lot of women may well be dead before they change their decision and pay us back for our loss. I will have to wait till I am 66 but have no idea how my health will be by then due to the rare illness I have. I definitely feel strongly that we have been short changed and as a result suffer high levels of stress wondering if we can make it to that magical age that the government plucked out of thin air and made a catastrophic one sided decision on . I for one will be very glad to hear that the government will have to revert back and pay out to all of us who have been affected!..

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  258. I hope we all get our good results very soon. I was so looking forward to being 60 to receive my pension and also my freedom pass, people in London get a pass by paying £10 even though I live in kent.

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  259. Does this ruling mean that those ladies who were affected by the number of years their retirement age was increased will receive back payment of the years involved?

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  260. Well done ladies, im one of the 1950. And have worked 48 year’s. Pay my TAX and Insurance. They have had enough Money out of me,anx they still want more.

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  262. The age should be brought back down to 60 and all of the women who should have got their state pension should have all their money backdated.that includes me

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  263. I’m 60 and my health has deteriorated there is no way I could notwork till I’m 66 and nine months i had to sell my house and try and live on the money that was left for me buying something smaller but it won’t last me for six years. It should go back to 60 and let the young ones work. I have worked since I was 11 it was only a paper round but went on from there. Most of my family has died at 60 and this freaked me out Knowing I was coming up to 60 So let’s hope it will happen but I’m not holding my breath

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  264. Fantastic news,let’s hope they get it overturned !! I’m a 1955 woman who is having to wait until I’m 66 to claim my pension and bus pass and I’ve just been made redundant after 23 years I. The same job,and it looks like I will have absolutely nothing coming in to keep me due to the new universal credit system thanks for nothing

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  265. Thank you for you fighting through this!
    As a woman who will be 63 this year, this past 2 years have been both a physical and psychological agony of having to work past my always known age of 60 to retire!
    If I had the funds I would take on the government and accuse and sue them for my now unstable state of mind. I have been dreadfully psychologically affected by this change to retirement age.
    Just now I should be enjoying a happy healthy retirement, instead I’m struggling daily as I deteriorate in many ways , life at the moment is a struggle and it will remain so until I can stop working.
    Please carry on your FIGHT so that older women can get out the way and make room for the younger workforce and give the employment!
    Thankyou

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  267. I don’t think it is fair to raise the pension age of women to over 65 because women are more likely to suffer life threatening illness when they are older. This means many will never reach 65. Also, I, as many other women of my age age and older, won’t be able to receive state pension until aged 66. Just because people are living longer, it didn’t mean they are all going to be fit enough to work longer. From my experience, I have seen older women suffering with all sorts of problems that make working over a certain age very difficult. Also, surely there will be jobs available for younger people by the vacancies that are created from the women who have retired.
    The new raise in pension age in general is unfair to people who have worked all their lives and contributed, because there will be quite a lot of these people who will only recieve a small amount or never live long enough to recieve any at all. Also, there are many jobs that are difficult for older people to do. This could be because of physical or mental disabilities that old age can induce to a vast majority of the population.

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  268. Absolutely fantastic news !
    National insurance was a tax on my earnings paid by me with a contribution from my employers take from my wages before I received the wage to build money for certain benefits like Maternaty pay and to give me a State Pension at the age of 60.
    I kept to my agreement and earned money paid tax and National Insurance so that I was ENTITED to my State Pension at the age of 60.
    That was the Law. I had no way of opting out of paying Income Tax and National Insurance.
    That was the deal –
    I kept my part of the deal
    I paid part of my hard earned wage to the Government every week of my working life until I reach the age of 60 so that by time I reach 60 years old I receive my State Pension.
    Therefore it seems to me that the Govenment should by Law have no way of opting out of the deal they made with me.
    Unless they wish to break the Law.

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  269. Absolutely fantastic news !
    Thank you to all those who have been a part of this.

    National insurance was a tax on my earnings paid by me with a contribution from my employers. It was taken from my wages from the age of 17 years.
    It was taken before I received my wage and I was told that I had to pay it to build money for certain benefits like Maternaty Pay , also to give me a State Pension at the age of 60.
    I kept to my agreement. I earned money paid tax and National Insurance so that I was ENTITLED to my State Pension at the age of 60.
    That was the Law. I had no way of opting out of paying Income Tax and National Insurance.
    That was the deal –
    I kept my part of the deal
    I paid Income Tax and National Insurance to the Government every week of my working life in order to receive my State Pension at age 60.
    Therefore it seems to me that the Govenment should by Law have no way of opting out of the deal they made with me in 1976.

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  270. Confused by this women are asking to be treated equal to men in all work related matter, but now they want to be treated differently around retirement age. Equal right has to be equal across the board for men and women

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  271. I am a 60 year old due to health issues I was deemed unfit for work due to capabilities
    And lost my job going from 1400 a month to 300 a month having to use my savings as I have more than I should have so cannot claim anything.
    ITS a joke you work hard all your life but then have to live on the bread line
    So much for our country and the government
    They won’t suffer in old age they won’t know how it feels to go without shame on you the rich get richer you work till yo drop

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  272. Amazing well done WASPI it was so unfair and poorly executed by not informing women of the 1950’s because the Government was underhanded trying to sneak it in regardless of the women they were stealing from. Those making such rules have so much wealth they do not need their State pensions shame on them for being blatantly discriminatory towards us 1950’s women who were the backbone of this Country.

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  273. Thank you all for your work in achieving this ruling.
    Am I correct in thinking that the Govt also put a clause in one of their Pension changes, stating that any further changes would require THEM to give 10 years’ notice to those affected, to allow them to make alternative financial arrangements? This clearly has NEVER been enforced.
    If I am correct then surely the case for 50’s women should be quite easy to prove!
    Most of us were NEVER personally notified that our pensions would be delayed and those that were, were told far too late to make other arrangements.
    We have been discriminated against for far too long, even being blocked from studying certain ‘male’ subjects at school and pushed into secretarial/clerical jobs – the first jobs to be lost when computers came in…..
    Paying us our pitiful pensions at 60 would still save the Govt money as it would be cheaper than the benefits they are having to pay younger people, some with families, who cannot get a job because we are not releasing our jobs into the employment market.
    I am currently living on savings put aside for my old age care – something the Govt advised us to do – so when I do need care, the Govt will now have to contribute at least 5 times the amount of my pension!!!!!!

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  277. Well done women of the 50″s. I am one l feel l lost out 5yrs pension. I have worked since l was 16yrs old and l am still worki g now. I am 65 next mo th and been told i still dont wualify until July 19 for my pension which is my money l have paid in now l wish to be paid what l am owed.

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  278. About time. Thank god for common sense. I am one of these woman and I have worked all my life. What right have the government got to dictate when I can have my pension. Money I have paid in with national insurance contributions. I hope they get this decision overturned. I have to keep working

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  279. This judicial review is much needed. I am nearly 65 years old and still working and when I am finally allowed to retire in 2020 this equality rubbish which was supposedly the reason for putting up our retirement age in Line with men will show its ‘ugly lies’. I will not even receive the same state pension as men even though I have worked all my life. I will be at least £40/week less. Disgusting.

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  280. I would love to receive my state pension now,I should like thousands of women received it when I turned 60 do I have missed out on nearly 5 yrs,I struggle as it is on ESA paying a mortgage and utilities etc,I never have money left over.The main reason for this is the government saving or making money out of vunerable people I pray this goes through not just for me but all women.

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  282. Truly believe that men and women should be able to retire at the same age, so to right this wrong what about a starting date of when the government changed the law to enforce equal pay between men and women from that date any women born before retires at 60 and any born after the law was passed retires at the same age as their male counterparts

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  284. Wow what a step forward, we must re enforce that woman born in 50’s esrly 60’s were not allowed to join a company pensions if the worked part time, no help in benefits in childcare either so lots of woman could only work part time, no job held open if you were pregnant, no maternity leave back in 70’s/80’s paid less thsn men for equal work, list goes on and on….

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  285. Hi a massive thank you from all of us a big fat well done 👍 at 60 I was told I had worked 44 years & anything I earned after 60 would not make a jot of difference to my pension which will not come into force until I am 66 what a big fat blow because no one informed me its diabolical ???? Good luck 😉 everyone kind regards xx

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  286. Fab news for the women born in the 50s we have all worked since we were 15 with very few years at home to raise children, we have paid our contributions into the system and the government has swindled us out of what should be our glory years not stressing about health, money, and trying to carry on working, good for waspi done Marie

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  287. I was born September 1954 people born in same year as me are getting their state pension this year 2019 , yet I have to wait till 2020 because my birthday is September, it’s so unfair the way they have delayed payments

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  288. This is a fantastic and encouraging development and should be supported wholeheartedly. I note earlier comments and agree totally that if we are “able” to send “our” hard earned money abroad then shouldn’t we first of all be looking after all those who have worked and contributed before being so “generous” to those who haven’t? I have been in employment since the age of 17 , always paid a full National Insurance stamp and yet had less than 12 months notice of the change to my pension age. I have 43 years of NI contributions on my record – only 35 years are needed now for a full state pension – and yet I will not get my state pension until I am 65 years and 8 months!! I could send in an invoice for a refund of my “overpayment” … as if that would get me anywhere!!!! I hope the review is carried in favour of individuals like me – of whom there are a considerable number – and yet whose arguments for a fair review have been ignored – watching with interest !!

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  289. My life was turned upside down when I missed out on my pension not for the better. Seemingly according to the staff at the job centre I missed getting my pension by 4 months so I have to work for another 6 years. The government done everyone out of £45,000 EACH.

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  290. I don’t think the jobs some of us are doing was even considered and when you get to 60.the Job is getting to much because of what you are doing its an absolute disgrace that we have to work till we are 66 it should never have been passed

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  291. This is BRILLIANT news …. well done & THANK YOU to all concerned in bringing this about & for championing “50’s” women …. Let’s make this a victory !!!!

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  292. Well I may finally receive the 47k I have been so cruelly deprived of, me and thousands more, absolutely disgraceful, have worked all my life, 65 in April and even then I have another 6 months added on,

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  293. Thank goodness for the rt Hon Justin’s Lang.
    Most women in this age bracket think they have been given a prison centece. My plans for moving this year to the country have been put on hold, until I retire. It would of been Mach 2019.
    Please help us women to get some justice.

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  296. This is a step forward in the right direction. There are many people robbed by the 6 year increase sadly may not make it to pension age or are financially ruined by this act. Surely a facing in of increased pension age would have been a fairer path to follow.

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  297. I am 55 and have to wait until I’m 67 for my pension 🥴 I know we want equal rights, but surely men don’t have to go through childbirth or the menopause all of which puts more strain on our smaller framed bodies

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  298. I was born in June 1960 will this affect me. Currently i think i get my pension at 67. There is no way on earth that i can hold down my current physical job until then it will literally kill me physically and emotionally

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  299. As one of those 50’s women, I have suffered terribly both financially, physically and mentally at not being able to draw my pension at 60. I am still having to work part-time, lookafter a husband who is not a well man, and care for an 88yr old mother as well as help out my children with child care.

    I welcome this review and pray for a successful outcome.

    It is outrageous, the way the government has treated me. I have 40+ National Insurance Contributions in and I have worked all my life sonetine having 3 jobs to make ends meet.

    Strength to your arm, and thank you

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  300. This is wonderful news !!!!! At least now we will get a hearing about how the government has taken an average of 6 years of our pension rights away whilst granting huge pensions to politicians aged under 60 !!! It’s an utter disgrace!!! We are all trying to continue to work the extra 6 years through ageing and exhaustion !!! Maybe they hope we will pass away before we are eligible for our pension!!! !!!!!!

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  301. I was advised that the retirement age for me would be 64 by letter some time ago probably while i was still 50 – something. What i was upset about was that i was not notified of the change to 66? and had to find out by other people commenting on it. My birthday was December 1954 and i congratulate those people just a few months older than me getting their pension at 64, I am now 64 and have to wait two more years. As it was obviously unfair why didnt they gradually make the difference ie for me 8 months after the shut off date it could have been 8 months after my 64th birthday still wrong but i would have accepted that!

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  302. Fabulous!!!! I only hope it gets sorted before I die!!! Well done!!!! Thankyou! I’m 63 this year and have another 3 years to wait, if this doesn’t change. I’ve realised now why the pension age was 60…….I’m more than ready to retire properly instead of having to work to replace my pension at my age!

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  303. I was born in the 50s and the impact on my health has invited to work until I am 67 is unfair, as with a lot of women we have do e 2 jobs, raising children and being I. The workforce, I feel fighter of the decisions for a review as I always felt it was unfair, my sister as with a lot of women missed being able to retire by days and now have to work for another 5 and 1/2 years how is it fair let us retire to give younger people our jobs.

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  304. They changed it in the April as i turned 60 in the June i think it should of not started in a quater of a year either as someone whos were 60 in March n April but the rest of us lost out that were born From the May onwards so not fair couldnt even get a dam.bus pass it awful i think they should give us the money we are owed too and im 63 this year

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  305. It absolutely disgraceful what has happened to those of us born in the 50’s. I am 64 years of age. I had to retire because of Heath issues with a small works pension. I was relying on my State Pension when I was 60. I have now to rely on my husband’s income to make ends meet. I have worked like many others for over 30 years paid national insurance and tax. I thought I was going to enjoy and be comfortable in my retirement but that’s not the care. Come on pay us what we are entitled too.

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  306. Hopefully things with move forward quickly. SOME people will never make it to their increased pension age as are sadly no longer with us. What about all the people’s monies paid who never even live to get their pension. Family’s don’t get it !!!. It has put a huge strain on many people who have not been able to put aside the extra money needs for the 6 years added to their pension age with little or no warning !!

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  307. I strongly believe women of 60 should be able to recieve their pension , to make us wait until we are 66 is totally unfair , we’ve paid in our national insurance stamps , but we will have to make up the difference by the time we reach 66 …. I have to find £300 pound to put towards my N/I contributions to recieve my pension it is totally wrong and very unfair … To someone working this may not sound a lot but but to me someone suffering from a debilitating disease it is a lot…. I reiterate it is cruel and totally unfair to us all who were born in the 50s ….

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  308. I was so looking forward to my state pension at 60..after working full time since leaving school and paying full national insurance contributions . Then the shock when I reached 60 the government moved the goalposts to 66,no prior notification given!
    So unfair ..I now have to struggle to keep working..very difficult when I have bad days, arthritic feet & fibromyalgia..
    Also help with the grandchildren care .
    We women of the 50’s have been trodden on by this insulting action …

    This news is an heartening step forward..Thank you

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  309. It’s an absolute disgrace the pension age was raised when most of us have worked since we were 15, paying our taxes and national insurance. It’s blatant theft!

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  310. It’s an absolute disgrace the pension age was raised when most of us have worked since we were 15, paying our taxes and national insurance. It’s blatant theft!

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  312. Well done ladies. It is wrong that all our Pensions have been plundered even more so for the ladies. Six years more work isn’t always practical as health often makes it harder and common sense says if we keep the jobs how are the young ever going to get used to employment. Its kind of daft to keep us oldies at work having made our forty years of National Insurance Contributions and also unfair when Civil Servants and MPs responsible can retire young with Pensions which are often equivalent to ten or fifteen years of ours with figures we could only dream of. Ladies have also lost more as it has taken years to move towards equality in pay. Its been getting there but far too slowly so having been paid less very unfair to take more from you.

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  313. Well done it was a ridculass decision that affected so many women.
    Dissagree withe men’s going to 67.
    Was nothing but money saving exercise fight on ladies good luck.

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  314. I am 60 worked all my life since I was 11 never claimed benefits and was so looking forward to retiring at 60 now it’s 67 don’t know if I can last that long I am shattered so unfair let ya oldies retire and give the youngsters that are sat at home looking for work a chance they are probably getting paid more than I would get on my state pension I can’t see the logic in this

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    • My wife has the double-whammy of having her University occupational pension age increased from 60 to 65 some time ago (as far as I am aware with no particular notification as she shows me all her pension stuff as I worked in pensions). She even thought that her occupational pension age was 65 from the outset until I mentioned it and went to some old documents. Now she has to wait a year after that for her State Pension.

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  315. I should av retired over 14 months ago instead im waiting for tribunal for esa cos im unfit for work . Where they say I’m fit for work with all the illnesses i av I should nt av all this stress its making me wish I was dead cos let’s face it if the dont overturn it up be sectioned before i can do owt so put the age back to 60 lets av some peace of mind not live in fear

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  316. Well done to all the people who have worked so hard to achieve this astounding result.I applaud each and every one of you. I will be in receipt of my pension on the 5th of March 2019. I was 65 years old on the 2nd of January 2019. I was so tired of the government moving the goal posts and not advising me personally!! I would have thought that such an important change, and the resulting impact on women’s​ lives, written advice of the changes they were making, should have been conveyed to everyone that was affected by these radical changes. The Government is very quick to write to you personally when you owe them money for Taxes etcetera. Something as important as your Pension changes is obviously not considered important!!!! I wonder if they have changed the Goal Post’s on their very excessive Pensions and if so, were they made aware of it??? I am very disgruntled and ashamed of the culprits!! I have always been conscious throughout my working life, that a job worth doing, is worth doing correctly!!!
    Susan O’Callaghan

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    • Well done David and thank you for fighting so hard on our behalf.
      I was born in June 1954, they have increased my pension age twice, firstly from age 60 to age 64, then they increased it again to 66, totally unfair.

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      • It’s so bad…. this is how ridiculous it all is.. you are 65 March and will get your pension. I’ll be 65 in October but don’t get mine until October 2020!!!! How is that worked out?? I will have 50 FULLY PAID YEARS OF NI AND TAXES…

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      • Well done David hencke my birthday is 5th December 1958 I am 61 this year but I have been told I have to wait till I am 64

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      • How does that work I was born June 1958 I don’t get to retire till I’m 66 and I was born before you I really don’t understand why I work two more years?

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      • I was born in December 1956 l have worked from being 15, I have been informed that l have to work till my 66th birthday. At present l am 62 years 4 months. I have paid all my contributions. So l cannot see how any one born in 1958 can retire before myself.

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      • I think you may find that you will be 66. However this I supposed to be under review in October 2020 where they are looking to raise it to 67 for both men and women.

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      • That’s mad I was born June 1954
        My first increase 62.7 months
        I found out 58 yrs age
        Then to 65.7 months didn’t find that out until after 60 and only by word mouth.
        If you are same month year how can yours be so different😡💁🏼

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      • I contacted pensions. They told me Oct 2020 unless it changes next year (pensions eview in october 2020. May then be pushed to 67.

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      • Just realised that the government needs our money to pay for Brexit. I shouldn’t be so selfish…. the rich stay rich..

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      • I am 60 gone December how long would I have to wait I was born 1958 the paperwork I received last year tells me how much my state pension will be when when the time comes

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  317. Just checked my NI CONTRIBUTIONS (I’m 64 …. 65 come October THIS year). I HAVE 47 FULLY PAID YEARS ONE PART AND TOLD TWO YEARS TO RETIREMENT. TOLD I CAN TOP IT UP!!!! HOW MUCH MORE DOES THE GOVERNMENT WANT.. If i was a rich desperate ready to retire lady I would get together with all the other rich ready to retire ladies and SUE the government……. but I’m not!!!!! And neither are any of the other ladies I know…I’m just one of the government’s poor pawns in their game of robbing Peter to pay Paul.

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  318. This is a shamble poor woman who plan the future the government have failed to deliver and robbed them of their money 💰

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    • As I’ve said many times before, the changes were publicised for the best part of 20 years and don’t forget that stupid men started it by whinging, justifiably, about mens’ pension age being 5 years later than womens’ and who other than idiots would think that the Government would spend a shitload of taxpayers money lowering the mens’ age to 60 rather than raise the womens’ to 65, saving a fortune for the taxpayer (after all it’s not the Government’s money. it’s ours, the taxpayers).

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  322. Women already face a glaring gender pension gap, receiving almost 40 per cent less than men because of low pay and career breaks, a government study calculated last year.
    That divide – around £7,000 – is more than twice the much-criticised gender pay gap, when state, personal and workplace pensions are combined.
    Why are we continually penalised for the lack of joined up policy making. Also, about time government recognised that the “ we’re all living longer” statistics show that the increases have now stalled. What a surprise

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  323. I am nearly sixty three. My husband died 5 years ago without ever claiming his pension. He was 62 where has his pension gone. I can’t claim it. WHY???. I care for my mother with dementia, carers is €66 per week. We live off my mother’s pension and struggle. All so grossly unfair…
    Give me my state pension I have worked from age 16 .

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  324. Good result so far keep it up
    I am affected by this with the final blow being the jump from the sliding scale {for me being 64.4 age) to 66 without warning which means I will have workers for 50 years at retirement
    I am not in the best health {high bp/diabetes/arthritis and am being threatened with dismissal due to sick time off
    THIS IS BY THE NHS
    I am on my own and have no private pension so have no choice but to keep working with a high risk of dismissal if/when I am ill again which will put me in a dire situation

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  325. A women’s working life is longer than a mans. Once you have a family it’s 24hrs a day seven days a week. Children grow up leave home women goes out to work comes home does Washing cleaning cooking looks after grandkids. Parents get old women looks after them How often do you see a retired women fishing golfing ect. Give us women a break and let us retire to enjoy life. We paid contributions it’s not a gift. Let some unemployed person take our job and let them contribute instead of taking out of the system