Successive governments extended a 1983 “men only national insurance subsidy” for 35 years and broke a promise to women born in the 1950s to offer them similar terms
More than 4.65 million men aged over 60 have had the last five years of their national insurance contributions paid by the state, the Department for Work and Pensions has disclosed.
The scale of the payments has been kept quiet by the Department for Work and Pensions for 37 years. It was only revealed last week when Myfanwy Opeldus, one of 3.8 million women facing now a six year delay to get her pension, got the admission from the ministry through a Freedom of Information request. She is a BackTo60 supporter and had been pursuing the government over this issue
The scheme was launched by the Thatcher government in 1983 when it was reeling from large scale unemployment even after its popularity had soared through victory in the Falklands War. Extraordinarily the scheme was only wound up in 2018 just two years ago and 35 years after it was launched.
The scheme- called auto credits – was announced in the 1983 Budget by the late Sir Geoffrey Howe , then Chancellor of the Exchequer, as one of four measures to get down the unemployment count which was over three million.
In his March Budget he announced:
“Some 90,000 men between the ages of 60 and 65 now have to register at an unemployment benefit office if they wish to secure contribution credits to protect their pension rights when they reach 65. From April, they will no longer have to do this.
Even if those concerned subsequently take up part-time or low-paid work on earnings which fall below the lower earnings limit for contributions, their pension entitlement will be fully safeguarded. ( my emphasis)”
Unemployment did fall and was half that level by 2018 when the scheme was dropped.
Yet neither successive chancellors Nigel Lawson, John Major , Norman Lamont,Kenneth Clarke , Gordon Brown or Alistair Darling did anything to repeal it.
In fact under Kenneth Clarke in 1993 the opposite happened. He decided as 50s born women were going to face waiting longer for their pensions, they should get some help. This was adopted by Labour in a leaflet issued in 2002 on pensions which announced it would be extended to 50s women from 2010 when the pension age for women started to rise.
But the Brown government then reneged on this in 2009 after the financial crisis.
Promises to 50s women reneged
An explanatory memorandum to changes in pension legislation said :
“When the Government published its plans for state pension age equalisation in 1993, the intention then was that as women’s pension age increased gradually to 65, autocredits would become available to them on the same basis as for men. This was in part to compensate for the increase in the number of years women would otherwise have to pay National Insurance contributions for in order to qualify for a full basic pension.
” This approach has since been reviewed, for two reasons. Firstly, the qualifying age for Pension Credit (the income-related benefit currently payable to men and women at 60 without jobseeking conditions attached) is set to increase to 65 by 2020 in line with female state pension age. Without the proposed change, autocredits would increasingly apply mainly to people who could afford not to work or claim benefit….
“Secondly, the reduction in the number of qualifying years needed for a full basic pension to 30 and the improvements in the crediting arrangements for carers under the measures introduced by the Pensions Act 2007 will mean that the need for autocredits to protect state pension entitlement will be significantly reduced….
” This instrument amends the Credits Regulations to provide that autocredits will be available to men only for the tax years in which they have reached what would be pension age for a woman of the same age, up to and including the last tax year before the one in which they reach age 65. Men born on 6 October 1954 or later,…, will not qualify for the credits.”
This meant it was phased out in 2018.
Meanwhile the new Tory and Liberal coalition elected in 2010 decided to raise the pension age further to 66 and also planned a new pension raising the qualification period to 35 years. The main architect was the pensions minister , Steve Webb, who moved a top job at Royal London Insurance. In an article in the Telegraph in September 2017 he backed men who could have overpaid NI contributions to claim the money back. He is now a financial consultant with Lane Clark and Peacock.
Yet another scandal
Now this entire scandal is yet another example of unfair treatment to 50s women.
The woman who raised this with the DWP is one of a number who has not got enough national insurance contributions to get a full pension. She falls short by three years and will have to pay them £3000 to make up the years to get another £400 a year.
A man – one of the 4.65 million who was covered by auto credits- would have to pay nothing. That is hardly fair. And he could take a low paid job and still not pay NI contributions as they would be covered by the state.
More seriously it does knock a hole in the DWP case that the raising of the pension age was an equality measure to create a level playing field with men.
It is hardly a level playing field if men on this huge scale are getting their national insurance contributions for free. What started as a measure for 90,000 ended up helping 4.6 million. No wonder the DWP were not happy to have to disclose this.
Roll on the appeal to the judicial review brought by BackTo60. Michael Mansfield could have a field day with these new facts.
Westminster Confidential 
Come Michael Mansfield come the Appeal! Brilliant stuff
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I have just paid a lump sum to cover 4 years extra NI contributions so that I can increase my pension when I finally receive it – 6 years late. How unfair and disgusting is this based on this article? And to top it all, HMRC have ‘lost’ my extra contributions so the pension I am due to get in month or so, does not include the additional pension I am due. I am still waiting for them to ‘find’ the extra contributions I have paid, and then they said I ‘should’ get the increases back-dated but there’s no promise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Unfit for purpose.
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you really think they’re suddenly going to ‘find’ those extra contributions? I haven’t been allowed to work for decade and a half because i had my identity stolen, amongst other things….somebody probably still claiming benefits in my name so nino probably still being paid….but that’s besides the point.
Before that i was agency/ temp worker…..often working 60-80 hours a week…take home pay some weeks was below 100, sometimes 120/140…and my total tax every week was several hundred quid! Never got a rebate…I was owed tens of thousands i figure….then probably about ten years ago HMRC suddenly lost millions of people’s tax records? Those on lowest incomes and temp workers were ALWAYS massively overtaxed…it was basically us that paid for the Iraq war i figure, several times over….and never did get to see any of the profits! Then they conveniently lose all the records……? I think you’re going to be in for another rude surprise, or it really shouldn’t be a surprise…..even the total morons must be catching on by now….?
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A couple of years ago a similar thing happened to me. State pension due 6 March, paid NI contribution of ap £730 for one year just before Xmas. 4 weeks before pension was due I received a statement telling me what I would get which was less than I expected. I had to make numerous phone calls to the Pension service and HMRC, it was like one had no clue what the other was doing. Took about 4 weeks after receiving my 1st pension for it to get sorted.
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Oh Lynne, that’s terrible.
I worked for the MOD in Whitehall from 1972 to 2002 but when I looked at my HMRC Act online recently, my NI contributions showed ‘nothing paid in 1980-1981’!
Obviously a mistake so I duly contacted the MOD sending proof of my staff record sheet and explaining the error probably occurred whilst I was in between posts (all within the same building I might add) but the answer came back saying unfortunately they no longer hold my records so there was nothing more they could do??!!
This is certainly not the retirement I was expecting or promised!!
I do hope HMRC repay you everything you are owed.
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Fabulous for cause
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David I could never have provided that level of detail, I gathered what I could and felt it was something women needed to know but you have collated the facts brilliantly. Put flesh on the bones. Thank you Myfanwy.
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bastards!!!!!!!!!!
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just been sent an email by which mag that the triple lock could be dropped to help pay the covid 19 300 billion bill l hope this doesn’t happen haven’t we been robbed enough having to wait 6 years longer to get our pensions anyway. plus the uk state pension is one of the lowest paid in Europe without making it any lower. plus why the hell should pensioners have to help foot covid 19 when we haven’t had any help offered not a penny out of these magic billions off of boris’s magic money trees… should put the workers taxes up there the ones benefiting from his schemes not pensioners and definately not 50s born WOMEN. Grrrrrrrrrr 😡
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Myfanwy, Thankyou so much for uncovering this, it would never have come to light without your determination. I’m a grateful #50sWomen💐
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Womens pensions have been stolen.
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Thank you David Hencke for all your hard work women are suffering up and down the country especially during this very uncertain time it is scandalous what this government has done to 50s women and their families hope justice is done for all of and a very big thank you to all the people for their hard work for back to 60s women God Bless thehm all from the bottom of my heart Mrs Tripta Khanna
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If ever there is a time to make this right it is now, we need our pensions.
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How disgusting and disrespectful to the 50s woman who have worked 30 to 45 years already have to work another 6 to get what we have already paid for it disgraceful how we have been treated I hope we win and you have to back date it all that would be karma on all the corrupt governments that have been covering this up shame on all of you bet you all get yours selfish people pay us what we worked for and are due
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I absolutely fail to see how it cannot be denied that these 50’s women have been robbed. This legal case (going forward in July) must surely recomoenseceach and every one of them it is totally scandalous.
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I am absolutely disgusted bloody greedy men looking after the boys club
I want my pension
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do you really think any of those men were actually asked?
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This is staggering.
The breadth of positive discrimination in favour of men.
This is dynamite – what a great piece of investigative journalism.
Bring on 31-22/7/20
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Left the 1950s women in poverty But Her Maggie Thatcher Died in the height of Luxury. Tony Blair Gordon Brown we’re hand in glove with her
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Iam 66 years old have two different Cancers and have had to work thtrouh it as I was widowed at a young age and can not afford not to work. Still not getting my pension .I am struggling and with no help due the extension of my retirement age. There is no equality. X
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Dear N Kelly
Apply for Attendance Allowance – payable to anyone of pension age who has had health problems & is frail.
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Hi Julie have you applied for your pension because to my knowledge it goes up to 66 after October this year so if I’m right you are entitled to it and should have got it before now. Go online and check it if you can. you are right about Equality what is it ??
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sorry Julie Elliot my reply was for N Kelly I got you both mixed up many apologies once again.
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If you’re 66 you should be in receipt of your State Pension. Have you applied?
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Unfortunately this government has made it mind up already, the judges are in their pockets. We will never be given the justice we deserve. They will never admit the terrible injustice of women how we have been denied equality all through the Years they know it but will never come clean. However i do believe justice will come at some point albeit to late for us now .
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How can people in the “know” sleep at night with a clear conscience! Women have been blind sided by men for men’s benefit. Kenneth Clarke plus the Labour Party should have stuck to their guns and equalised the playing field for women as well. So, besides missing out on £50k pension payments for the last 5 years, I have overpaid NI contributions in that same period whilst working. I hope the DWP are going to send me a refund for the lot plus interest!!!
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I hope you get it x
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This is so disgusting that women are treated like secondary citizens in this country they talk about equal rights for men and women what’s equal about delaying women age for their pension when they have paid their full due it is our entitlement it is a real disgrace for all mens governments in this country hope justice will be done soon thanks to all for their hard relentless work Tripta Khanna
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This is corruption at different level by all governments women have been ignored especially when they talk about equal rights in this country but women have been abandoned by governments we have paid our full dues and are entitled to our full pension but they have abused our entitlement to cover their own mistakes it is disgusting hope justice will prevail soon and give our money which is truly ours I have paid full NI over 44yrs and now I am 64yrs have wait another 2yrs for my pension it’s disgusting what the government has done to all women do they have wife’s daughters in their lives all the best Tripta Khanna
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If this scheme only finished in 2018, why wasnt it offered to women who reached 60 in 2014? That is definitely discrimination
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I hope Micheal Mansfield does have a field day with them at the appeal hearing this is scandalous the DWP are a disgrace because we are women we have been very badly treated by them blatent discrimination this is and when the gov has splashed billions of pounds a bottomless pocket it now seems for covid 19 when they said they was nothing to pay our pensions with. Would love to know what they did with the nat ins I paid in and all the tax since I was 15 yrs old now 64 all I want and I know I am not alone here is a pension I paid religiously into and should have got 4 years ago and just as important as that is all elderly people are treated with respect and looked after a lot better than they are now by this and future governments after all the older you get the more you contribute to this country. 46 yrs paying in and getting robbed is totally unaceptable. it’s time they stopped ignoring us and paid us out and in full NO crumbs roll on july for the appeal…
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So ostensibly a man could retire from work at 60 with a huge private pension (unlike most women) and still get NI credits until he was 65, which would enable him to get a full state pension (unlike most women)!
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We owe you a massive thanks David.This surely will be another nail in the coffin of injustice
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My husband got this – I who was born in the same year, did not., I could hardly believe it!
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Me too – my husband’s NI contributions ceased in 2014 when he (and I) reached 60 whereas I still pay NI even though I have paid for over 40 years so any further contributions do not count towards my pension when it comes – this July and I will be aged 65 and 11 months !!! DISGUSTING
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But men still got their pension at 65
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Thanks for information lets hope it goes back to 60 they have just dropped people coming from abroad they do not have to pay towards our nhs now sorted in one week . But not back to 60 still on going.
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Hope this gets into court to be taken into consideration with the rest of evidence
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So not only have we been robbed some men will have been too, because unless the men applied for these auto credits they didn’t get them. I know my husband didn’t he worked until he was 67 deferring his pension for two years, but he paid BY until he was 65 but according to this post he didn’t have to pay NI after 60. If I am wrong perhaps someone would enlighten me please, because not only do they is me 50K in lost pension but they also owe my husband 5 year NI. Would be grateful of your thoughts please TIA
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I’m afraid you are mistaken. Both men and women have to pay NICs until they reach state pension age if they are working. These autocredits were only given if they were not working so they wouldn’t apply to your husband.
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So not only have we been robbed some men will have been too, because unless the men applied for these auto credits they didn’t get them. I know my husband didn’t he worked until he was 67 deferring his pension for two years, but he paid NI until he was 65 but according to this post he didn’t have to pay NI after 60. If I am wrong perhaps someone would enlighten me please, because not only do they is me 50K in lost pension but they also owe my husband 5 year NI. Would be grateful of your thoughts please TIA
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how can we share this to Face Book to spread the news
On Fri, May 22, 2020 at 5:41 PM Westminster Confidential wrote:
> davidhencke posted: ” DWP’s extraordinary disclosure Successive > governments extended a 1983 “men only national insurance subsidy” for 35 > years and broke a promise to women born in the 1950s to offer them similar > terms More than 4.65 million men aged over 60 have had t” >
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It just gets better!!!! How can anyone trust a government that has been proved to be so underhanded with so much!!!
60s ladies , more ammo , go girls right behind you all
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Pingback: The 4.6 million men who “retired” at 60 to get a pension top up paid by the taxpayer | Govt Newspeak
This is absolutely disgusting treating women in this way yet again. What do 1950s women need to do in order to receive whats rightly theirs….
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It makes you wonder what else they have been keeping from the 1950’s women.How can these people sleep at night,
Many thanks to David and his team, for the all help they are giving all of the women who were born in the 1950’s
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I’m not hopeful on a positive outcome for the appeal. The Government will say that due to the coronavirus and subsequent economic recession, they need all funds they can get their hands on,
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Caring for my mother meant that I missed paying 5 years NI and NO one – including health and social service support workers advised that I was entitled to have these paid by the government. When I realised I was entitled to a carers credit from an early morning journalist story on radio 4, I was only able to back claim one year claim – so I have been told that I have to pay £4,800 to make up my NI. I am one of the 1950s women who saved the government money caring for my mother and also had their retirement date changed. Then I discover that anyone reaching retirement now if you do not claim – loses that pension income – previously you could delay and be paid what you have missed with interest.
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Anyone that doesn’t claim their state pension has it automatically deferred so when they do claim it, it will be paid at a higher rate provided it was at least 9 weeks. They don’t lose it.
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https://www.which.co.uk/money/pensions-and-retirement/state-pension/deferring-your-state-pension-ahr9w8p0f87w
Thank you Jane, however just to clarify anyone due a pension after April 2016 only receives a percent increase if they defer – as you said -BUT they actually lose out on the pension payments where as before 2016 these would be rolled up and then paid out as a lump sum. I think it is important to highlight this as some people are having to work longer and would prefer to claim a year later but now they will lose a year’s payments.
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Very interesting article, which further highlights the dreadful treatment of 50’s women in this country. The government won the first round by claiming men and women were treated equally, obviously not and never have been by state pensions. These women did not earn as much as men doing the same job, had less benefits and have been robbed of several year’s pension payments. As unemployment is rising considerably, where exactly are they supposed to find jobs to exist on , perhaps the government would like to bring back the workhouses.
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Unbelievable, I had no idea about this scandal.
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If the governments statement … is that .. all it’s decision are based to bring in line all aspects and to play everything on a level field .. then they no longer have an argument.. Michael Mansfield must be wringing his hands at the thought of the review..
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OMG!!!! how much more can us 50’s girls be unfairly treated!!! This is totally shocking and I’m sure this will be the nail in the coffin of the government’s case. Roll on the appeal!!!!
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Well done on your discovery through F.O.I. Myfanwy and thank you for your editorial David. Another massive boost to the campaign.
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Absolutely fascinating. How many times are us women backfooted? My pension wait of 6 years should end in October 2019 but I am so cynical I am waiting on the next curved ball to arrive. Thank you for all you do.
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Disgusting! I am a disabled 50s women. I have worked and contributed for 42 years and can’t retire until 2025. DWP and the government should be ashamed of their actions. DWP did not give me any notice of the changes until I enquired about my contributions. Currently my health is declining but if I don’t work I can’t pay my bills. There are thousands of women who have been robbed of their pensions. The Government is quick to action complaints from NHS family members and pay for illegals/asylum seekers who have no LEGAL right to be here but they have ignored pleas from the 50s women.
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Wow this amazing find and read this information is like gold dust well done David.
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I remember this coming up before, OPPERMAN responded with: This concession was given to men as a way of compensating men , as their retirement age was 65 whereas women could retire at 60 . However he conveniently forgot that we women actually had to pay NI at a higher rate because we retired at 60.
Also another point that was brought up by DWP lawyer at appeal taken from Gilchrests investigation dated around 2018 was that the reduction of women’s Spa in the 40’s was done not because of a women’s campaign group at the time (as was suggested at the JR) BUT because of men who retired at 65 could not claim the relevent couples allowance until both spouses were of retirement age. So men were unable to enjoy their retirement because of lack of funds and this meant they either continued working or the wife was working so SHE wasn’t at home to fetch and carry for him as was the usual practise then.
It’s such a shame that still to this day no active collaboration has been achieved or tried for by BACK TO 60, as most of this information which I see being brought into the limelight now, has already been unearthed by other women’s groups years ago, not only that I’m sure there are many other points on the inequalities suffered that are filed in these groups with lots of info and relevent documentation. Let’s hope BACK TO 60 have ALL this info ready for this appeal and a victory for all 50s women us won .
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Women never paid a higher rate of NI at any time. What was higher was the cost to buy a unit of Graduated retirement benefit because they got it earlier than men. In 1995 that cost was equalised for anyone reaching SPA from 2010 onwards. The wrong information won’t win anything.
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I don’t understand this? As far as I know, women, who aren’t working, can sign on and receive a national insurance credit towards their SP, even if they aren’t eligible for benefits, (for E.G due to too much household income/savings) Those who get an out of work benefit: UC/ESA/JSA etc will automatically get an NI credit? I don’t think those who paid the married women’s stamp can get NI credits though? The only difference was when unemployed men got it in the 80s they didn’t have to sign on, but this was only because Thatcher didn’t want them showing in the unemployment figures!
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Women have always been discriminated against. It is embedded in governments worldwide. I am tired working with bad arthritis, cataracts and complete loss of hearing in one ear. I hope this review will bring about long awaited change.
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I really hope so too however we lost last time, Unfortunately I can’t honestly see this appeal winning. Boris Johnson said he didn’t have the money he’s got even less now.
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How disgusting is this how dare this government refuse to correct the wrong done to the 1950 women knowing they have hidden the truth they need to put right this wrong immediately
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To the lady whose husband worked until age 67. Auto credits were just that they were automatically posted onto mens NI record every year. He should not have paid NI after age 65.
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Dear Myfanwy Opeldus and David Hencke,
Thank you for the further details about the automatic National Insurance credits for men, that I had heard about over the years, but not in such detail and had not realised they had continued after men lost Pension Credit from age 60 by Welfare Reform Act 2012.
Nor that automatic NI credits were granted to men up until 2018.
Far more women than men are in jobs paid below the Lower Earnings Level, and the new flat rose minimum NI record (you gain nil NI history when you earn below LEL) from 12 months to 10 years, so discriminating even more to women, who are more in such low paid jobs below the LEL than men.
Also you do not earn NI credits if you are in two separate part time jobs both paid below the LEL in wage level, as NI is reckoned separately on each job, unlike income tax that lumps all your jobs together.
Most women, against half of men, will never get the full new flat rate state pension, which is reduced by the SERPs opt out, yet SERPs (now called State Second Pensions since 2002) had ended going forwards in the same year the new flat rate state pension began, from April 2016.
You cannot make up years if opted out of SERPs, as if contracted out for any years in work, you are treated as if opted out ALL your working life, for amount of new flat rate state pension.
Public sector opted out staff from SERPs (began 1978), never telling us SERPS ever existed (started 1975). No party, Tory, Lib Dems or Labour, ever undid this biggest pension mis-selling of them all, that we have no rights about, as it is the state pension.
Far more women than men work in public sector jobs, and research done by formal enquiries found that most public sector works pensions were no more £4,000 a year on average. So state pension is even more vital to women than even men, in the main.
But then over the years, the value of SERPs has withered away, to the tiny 20 per cent of people, mostly men, on average on top wages, who had the chance to remain in SERPs.
And then of course, there is the biggest tax break for the rich of all. Mostly men are on top wages and they only pay 2 per cent NI contributions above a low maximum salary threshold, on all further wealth. It was not until part way through Blair and Brown’s government did such mostly men pay anything above the maximum salary threshold, and those top waged are the majority not opted out of SERPs.
As the saying goes, everyone is equal, just some are more equal than others, lol or grrrrrr !!!
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What a disgrace. Discrimination at every turn . One of the contra arguments usually from men is that women want to be equals but here we have it again where women have been discriminated against in favour of men. At a time when many women in this age group Find they are Carers for either their aged parents or husbands they are having to work. The government could sort this wrong out now and include the redress in all financial support being given as a result of Covid.
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I cannot believe what I have just read!!!!! Not only have we 50s women been reobbed of 6 years of our pension, women have, for years before equal pay been doing the same job as a man for less money!. For this great privalage, we have had to keep contributing national insurance up to age 65 to get our rightful pension when men only have to pay until age 60 to get theirs. Where is the fair in that? Like most self employed people, I can’t run my small local sole trader art business, due to covid. This obviously is’nt the government’s fault, but I still feel so frustrated as
not only can I not get my state pension that I was robbed of, like every other 50s woman, because
I have savings which I have had to rely on while being unable to trade, I am not entitled to emergency payment as my savings are just over the llimit. When I rang the DWP to ask, they were quite off hand. Lets hope that July heralds some good news, and justice for 50s women is finally done. I wish you the very best of luck Michael, and would like to thank you very much for all your efforts on behalf of us all, Jill. I feel so sorry for N Kelly who has two cancers. I hope you are able to be helped.
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Discriminated against over and over again by successive Governments. Low-paid working, childcare, elderly parents care, still paying the full rate NI (rather than the lower rate ‘married womens’ contribution”). Keeping working with major health problems, still paying NI at the age of 64. As for the 35 year NI contribution to get full SP – Ha! Passed that milestone when I was 50!
Would be good to have some input from our legal representatives.
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How could the dwp/gov ever claim equality, women for many years were on low pay until 1972 I belive and even their wage did not increase to match a mans yet i understand a full stamp was paid talk about equality it’s a total sham well done to the clever lady who tracked this down.
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Thank you Myfanwy for your persistent diligence and David for publicising this.
There is another story in today’s Mail detailing 130000 married women being short-changed of their pension, being entitled to pensions based on their husband’s work record which has been denied them .Women previously got to retire at 60 because they were badly paid and had two jobs – one unpaid lifetime responsibility for housework and child rearing etc which prevented them from getting decently paid jobs in the first place. This hasn’t changed.When ‘Back-to sixty’ started, I wrote to Zac Goldsmith.and suggested if they were truly interested in equality they should legislate to ensure men took their equal share of housework, child care etc to enable women to work on an equal footing, In a recent Covid survey, I was not surprised to learn many women wre uspet that their partners were not taking their fair share of childcare, home learning or housework. ‘Twas ever thus and I cannot see how it will end; perhaps the government should pay women for these extra lifelong duties. That will not happen but if you are going to claim action on the basis of equality, all contributions should be considered!
The financial impact of covid should bear no consideration when considering the government’s appalling behaviour as a matter of law.
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I am 67 years of age – I am a strong woman with life experience. I remember fighting for equal pay in the 1970’s and being told I had accepted my wage at interview and that I would get pregnant anyway so was not as good a proposition as a man –
I have suffered indignity of male dominance in the work force – I had 30 years NI contributions and now do not have a full state pension.
I have fought hard to have equal status to men but to little avail
Men should be ashamed of this legislation and I hope to God women in this group get some form of justice at appeal. This would never happen to men
Be strong young women of today, learn and don’t let this happen to you. Vote and fight for your rights
Women are the backbone of this economy
I am proud to be a woman and just want fair treatment
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Further to my previous comment, ref above, how have they got away with the great SERPS rip off? I paid extra into NI because I earned more and was led to believe this would give me an extra payment on top of the mormal pension for the extra contributed. I was advised to move the SERPS element to a commercial and, therefore, much better paying scheme. Instead of retaining the extra I would have got, the goverment have translated this into taking a £44 per deduction from my pension whilst the commercial scheme will not pay that amount (whoever heard of the government out-performing a commercial enterprise?). An aquaintance, who only earned what her other half described as ‘pin money’ and took out 9 years for child rearing will now get a minimum pension whilst I, who always paid in more, will have £44 deducted from that amount (unless they arbitarily renege on that). This is dishonesty in the extreme. I moved my SERPS but should at, least get the minimum pension, even though I will have paid more fot even that! Do politicians get training in dishonesty or lack of ethics?
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This should be put right or it is discrimination against women funny we can find billions to furlough thousands due to coronavirus but we dont have funds to compensate wasps women!!
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Amazed by the inequalities, I lived in what was a British colony for 7 yrs HK), forfeited my family allowance as wasn’t allowed it., didn’t get any pension credits for those child rearing years, rand from overseas to pay my stamp voluntarily was told no I didn’t need to, I’d be covered by my husbands pension (misinformed there), have been back in UK since 2003 and working again, still, am almost 63, can’t retire cos have a child rearing hole in my private pension and a double whammy with my state pension which I won’t get till 66. I’m also having to work to help support my sister post stroke from age 63 as she can’t work and husband has no private pension and only half a state pension until her state pension kicks in no at 66 instead of 60, times have been hard, we have familial high BP and 3 of my siblings have had strokes, at ages 53, 62, 72, one has died due to cancer, our Mother died of a brain haemorrhage at 50 , so I worry about the future and my ability to keep funds coming in to help out till my sisters pension comes in at least as she can’t work. My husband retires this year and I have to carry on working till my pension comes in at 66, my work pension is quite lows so another three years
Hats off to all fighting the government for a satisfactory outcome, it’s shameful.
My humble thanks.
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And also had no notification of the pension age increase as was living overseas with our children from 1996 to 2003 so zero information sent to me. I’m born in the UK, worked in the UK for thirty two plus years….. fed up waiting now…..
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Oh my goodness, this is unbelievable! There has never been equality for women and it will take decades at this rate. Fingers crossed there will be compassion and justice for us women in their 60s now who are surviving on very little. All I have per month is 69 pounds private pension. That is it. I live off the kindness of my husband who only works part time. Neither of us have great health to work much and I have an elderly mother with dementia to look after too. Nobody should have assumed that we CAN all work until we are 66!
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To Suzanne that replied to my comment;
Pre 2016 you could choose between a lump sum or an increased pension from deferral. Post 2016 you can only choose the increased pension. Nothing is lost but it will take longer to break even and then begin to have more.
Many still choose to defer as it saves tax if they are still working. Choice is yours.
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…and interest rates dropped from 10.4% to 5.8% post 2016.
Estimated to take 17 years to recoup the pension deferred.
Choice is informed by knowledge.
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Not fair
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On Fri, 22 May 2020 at 17:43, Westminster Confidential wrote:
> davidhencke posted: ” DWP’s extraordinary disclosure Successive > governments extended a 1983 “men only national insurance subsidy” for 35 > years and broke a promise to women born in the 1950s to offer them similar > terms More than 4.65 million men aged over 60 have had t” >
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Thank you again Mr Hencke. This disclosure by the DWP is of course good news, but how did Michael Mansfield QC not have this information at the JR last year. In my last post I raised my concerns that our JR did not, and this is my view, have enough information/evidence to get us the right result and now we have this information, which our Counsel should have had as that’s his job. So did he have it but didn’t use it or didn’t he have it so couldn’t use it and the question is if he did have it why didn’t he use it and if he didn’t have why didn’t he have it. I want to believe we have the right person for the job but I’m very worried because if he doesn’t know and or doesn’t have every detail of every decision made by the DWP that has every chance of effecting the result in our case, why? This information were talking about proves beyond doubt that women were not and still are not, treated equally. It doesn’t take a genius to work that out, it’s a given, but of course we know they choose to ignore this fact, so we do need to have someone fighting our corner who can make them admit it because it’s not a case of them not believing it because the evidence has always been there, but they just won’t admit it. Maybe this document will make them realise that they can’t hide the truth any longer and if there’s any real honesty in our law courts then justice will prevail and we will have what is ours.
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It was known in 1983 that 90,000 men qualified for this. What was not known until last week – and this is absolutely staggering – is that over 4.6 million men eventually got it. Until a FOI was put it even the DWP was not obliged to tell anyone. And I suspect a lot of the men who got it just kept quiet about it.
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David why are some of my comments not being allowed through whilst others posted later than mine have been? Hopefully not trying to censor comments to give your readers a biased opinion? There have been a couple of misapprehensions by posters and rather than let them think the court case will find in their favour for those parts, it’s important to give them the full info. I hope you will allow them through.
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I haven’t put up all your posts as I don’t want a running commentary on all the points being raised by one person who has tried to put up ten posts. I was also looking at your email address and remember that you were one of the people who don’t want 50swomen to win their case and spent a lot of time criticising them. I have put some of them up, where there is a debate. However one of the points you raise are beyond the means of many in my audience. They can’t afford to pay the government large sums of money to increase their pension, nor do they pay enough tax to claim money back. The others don’t relate to the special scheme for men, which contrary to what you say, did allow them to take low paid jobs and still paid all their NI contributions as Sir Geoffrey Howe explained in 1983.
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Well said David. No room on this website for people who do not support the case. If they are happy with their lot then fine , each to their own , but why waste their time & energy commenting on here when ultimately they do not want the 50s women to win.
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I recall the introduction of over 60s men not being required to sign-on when made redundant and out of wor in 1978. This helped to keep the unemployed statistics lower than it should have been. In general any man over 60 and in receipt of an occupational pension was told never to go to the Employment Office again as their NI was covered. This helped the majority of local government employee’s who were employed in local licensing offices who claimed Benefits under the Vehicle and Driving Licences (compensation to Officers) regulations 1977 and drew compensation for redundancy under the local government pension scheme. At the same time women over 60 had their state pension deducted from the amount of compensation paid as they could have stayed in employment until age 65. There has never been equality and being born in 1953 lost around £33,000 in reduced pension entitlement and increase NI.
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I Took early retirement from work at 60 to look after my mother sadly mam passed away in March this year – I had claimed carers allowance during this period and I automatically had Nat insurance contributions paid.I’m almost 64 and after mam died I contacted the DWP helpline to be informed I could get non contributory job seekers allowance however when I attended the interview I was told I could not – (I have some of my lump sum pension left so did not qualify for anything at all) the interviewer had another client a lady in her 40 s she was assisting her to find work – even though I was told I could not claim benefit and this person knew I wanted to find work I was dismissed – I came out of the office dismayed that because they did not need to give me money there was no help offered to find me work.
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Hello Diane, what a terrible state of affairs. The DWP simply do not care about us older women who care for our mothers and work all our lives too. They should have assisted you much better than they did. Very poor service.
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I
Ps to my post. Yes this information was obtained last week but could it have been obtained last year before the JR. If Myfanwy Opeldus can ask for it under the Freedom of Information Act, and get it, why didn’t we have it last year?
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There never been a equality with men and women being treated the same just a load of tosh saying raising the pension age to same and now this FOI from DWP just proves it it’s not on
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Also Men born at the same as Women are getting assessed on a higher rate..I still cant work out why this is ?
A Man born in 1952 is on the New Pension Rate
A Woman born in 1952 is on the Old Pension Rate which is a lot less
Did the Men receive credits too ?
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This is a disgrace and criminal why are men being treated so much better than woman beyond words
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Deeply shocking and disturbing- and surely this very much strengthens the Back to 60 case – I’m donating to the film fund now because I really want more people to know about this. Thank you Myfanwy and all for your work and perseverance
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Surprise, surprise -50s women at the bottom of the heap again. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. Hopefully this will add fuel to our fire in July.
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I am yet again shocked by the lack of equality for 50’s women. I still work full time (not during pandemic following guidance) at 64 with 2 years ahead. I am appalled to repeatedly feel discriminated again. I have worked in external employment most of my life with breaks only for brief maternity requirements and a carer for both parents which dramatically impacted my career. How can the challenge of the Back to 60 campaign be ignored with this new information? I sincerely appreciate all that you are doing on behalf of all 50’s women.
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Disgraceful sex discrimination!
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Absolutely shocking and disgraceful . I have worked since the age of 14 like many others. I have had a one year break after the birth of my daughter at age 33. I am still working even throughout the covid 19 virus aged 61. Financially ,I will have to work until I am physically able to probably 70 or until I drop. I am divorced , struggle financially though careful and have cared for my 24 yr old disabled son myself throughout his life with no benefits of care allowance as over Wkly threshold by £2 and without any support from local authority as deemed as coping and told by social welfare officers others worse off. I too am still working with no pension . This sickens me further to read how unjust , unfair and biased the gov is towards so called equality for all . How are you supposed to look forward to retirement as women are working to survive still ,live on buttons to pay utilities , food and live a basic standard of living as personally an independent woman caring , working and living with a dependant son ?!
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As a woman born in December 1953, this article is very upsetting. The trials and hardships have been well documented s for woman of my age, so I will not share my story, however please believe me life is not easy.
I am still working, fortunately, I’m healthy, but still fell an injustice has been done. as I have worked since leaving school still I can’t retire.
Thank you for you’re very appreciated informative article.
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David thank you so much for finding this. It gives me so much hope for the appeal.
Can I just ask a question please? I’ve looked at the Government website for this and it said that it only applied to men born up to 5th April 1953 and from 6th April 1950 to 5th October 1953 it wasn’t the full 5 years credited but only part of it. Is this true?
I’m really worried if this is true as it wouldn’t give me anything and every woman that’s had to wait till 65 and over wouldn’t get anything either.
Please tell me it’s not true as your article had really given me hope and now I feel deflated again.
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Thank you Eileen. I am afraid it is true that the government phased out the concession to men from 2010 to 2018 but remember this was compensation based on them already retiring at 65. In the case of women it will be compensation based on the retirement age of 60 rising to 65, so unless I am wrong I would have thought it would apply to more women than than those born up to 1953 , it probably would apply to those born up to 1958. I haven’t though checked this out so can’t give you a guaranteed pledge on this one.
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Thank you for your reply David. This is the Government website I was referring to which says only men born up to 6th October 53.
https://www.gov.uk/automatic-pension-credits-for-men
Having looked at the pension timetables I can see why it was that date now as they were the last group to reach SPA by age 65 and who would gain from a credit as you don’t get credits for the tax year you reach SPA.
It looks like it wouldn’t help most of us so I’m very disappointed again.
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@davidhencke
Thank you for allowing my comment through. I would have replied to your comment but it doesn’t give me the option so I have to add it here.
I don’t recall saying anything about claiming tax back in any of my comments so not sure what you are referring to there. Perhaps you misunderstood when I suggested that some people choose to defer their state pension because they are still working and would pay more tax than if they waited until they were not working to claim their deferred pension.
As to my post in answer to Grey Swans, paying voluntary NICs is not the only method of increasing your state pension which is lower because of being contracted out. Some 50s’ women could well afford it as they have very generous occupational pensions – and yes these women do exist despite the claims otherwise. However my main point is that many women are able to claim NI Credits for the years post 2016 and it would be in their best interests to do so. Various options are open to them such as ;
1. Specified Adult Childcare Credits – many 50s’ women are looking after grandchildren and can claim these credits right back to 2011.
2. Carers’ Allowance – many are looking after relatives for at least 35 hours per week.
3. Carers’ Credits – those not doing 35 hours a week but at least 20 hours a week can get a credit.
4. By signing on for various benefits even though not eligible for any money.
As it would be possible to increase a state pension by up to £40pw it surely is worthwhile letting women know rather than having them miss out?
I know that everything you are doing with these articles is designed to influence the BT60 court case but there is no guarantees of success and meanwhile many women are missing out on information that could actually help them. I would really love to see you producing articles with practical help instead of campaign clickbait.
I do hope you will allow this comment through if you really do wish to help.
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I am only putting this up as it includes some practical advice. As for the comment that I am trying to influence judges in the forthcoming court case that is laughable – I know from 50 years of reporting that judges make up their own minds on the merits of the case and no article can be designed to influence them. That is the role of BackTo60s legal team in presenting their case on July 21. Finally I notice you are wrongly claiming on Twitter that very few men would have claimed this. The letter from the DWP makes it clear that the figure is based on a sample of people who are recorded as having claimed it not those who were eligible to claim. This is your last post on the matter that will be published by me.
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Only just picked up on your statement that someone on Twitter is wrongly claiming that very few men claimed autocredits. I’ve no idea if someone really said that but if they did then they are wrong.
However you are wrong too as men did not need to claim them as they were autocredits – ie they were automatically credited to any eligible man. The clue is in the word “auto”.
The notes go on to say that although 4.6m men had an autocredit added to their records, they cannot say how many men actually gained anything out of it. Any man who reached SPA prior to 2010 needed 44 years to qualify for a full BSP. If they had already got 44 years through work etc, more years added on via autocredits would have made no difference at all. Even more likely to be the case from 2010 to 2016 when only 30 years was required and from 2016 when 35 years are needed. There are also those men who never reached SPA so they wouldn’t have got anything for their autocredits either. Then there were those who weren’t resident in the UK for the whole period so wouldn’t have got a qualifying year even if they did need it.
I also noted that the numbers were worked out on a sample of 1% and then multiplied by 100 so we can’t even be sure of the total.
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Whilst I think it’s great that a multi millionaire footballer can get this government to do an about turn on children free lunches who should the WASPI women sign up to fight their case
On Sun, 14 Jun 2020, 20:22 Westminster Confidential, wrote:
> Jane commented: “Only just picked up on your statement that someone on > Twitter is wrongly claiming that very few men claimed autocredits. I’ve no > idea if someone really said that but if they did then they are wrong. > However you are wrong too as men did not need to cla” >
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This is a disgrace, having worked from the age of 15years old and should be rectified.
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This news of inequality is a blessing. Well done to the woman who got this information & thank her too by so many who I believe will agree with me
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Great news. I was born just after the 1950’s – and I am in the trap where what I earn is below the LEL – I signed off JSA as I got a part time job (a low paid job way below my previous professional wage in a job that was made redundant) as I was not well enough to work full time, and I had relatives at that point of needing a lot of additional care. I was unaware of carer’s allowance at the time. While on JSA, though my contribution based payments ran out, I continued to ‘sign for my stamp’. When I started this job I was not earning enough to pay NI, but neither was I gathering any NI Credits as I was while unemployed and signing, where I was gaining class 1 NI contributions. It was about three and a half years before I discovered this, and I was outraged – then I discovered carer’s allowance and carer’s credit. Well, I earned just too much for carer’s allowance to kick in, but at least now I get class 3 NI contributions as a carer. I mean I am grateful to get the support regarding being a carer, now I have learned to call myself that, but I have had a long working career and always paid NI tax etc gladly. The point excellently made by Grey Swans above I also think is directly discriminatory against women – the fact that far more women have jobs where they earn below the Lower Earnings Limit for NI and “Also you do not earn NI credits if you are in two separate part time jobs both paid below the LEL in wage level, as NI is reckoned separately on each job, unlike income tax that lumps all your jobs together.” You couldn’t have designed this to be worse for women. Why is it ‘all right’ to ‘design’ poverty for older women?
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I should have got my pension nearly 3 years ago after a lifetime of bringing up a family and working full time most of the time in low paid jobs to fit in with the family. This is such a slap in the face
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what else are they hiding?
and hate to sound selfish, but any chance i will get a pension considering i haven’t officially existed for decade and a half now?
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It breaks my heart 💓. It’s is so un just. 63 64 in August. Feel cheated.
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This is great news hopefully we are going to get equality at last that we have been denied as women all these years
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I was born in 1960 and started work in 1977. I have paid NI contributions since then. 43 years. My long term plan was always to retire at 60. I now have to work an additional 6 and a half years to reach pensionable age. I will have contributed NI for 50 years.
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At the time that was introduced men worked 5 years longer than women to get their state pension. For the vast majority of that time women didn’t need to pay NI. They already had their pension
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Not surprised we’ve been robbed
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Bloody damn disgrace give us are money back. What we work hard for we should have a say when its our money. Bring back the pension age to 60. What about the people who are unable to work till that age because of ill health yet you starve them of their pension. Damn disgrace
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I have had an idea for the judicial review. some may not like it, and it is’nt what back to 60 set out for but my thinking is this. If we demanded at the review, that we get full restitution of all 50s women’s pensions back to 60 with full back pay wor us all, then especially with this Covid pandemic, the government will just throw it out. But if we were to change the demand to get our pension age back to 63 meeting them half way with those women who are 63 this year getting their pension this year at age 63, and those women born from 51 to 59 getting back pay from age 63, that will be a lot less for the government to find, so we to my mind, stand a far better chance of the review going our way, a bit of give and take. Then no 50s born women would ever have to face a 6 year wait for their pensions again. I know it must be hard for those with just the basic pension,but this way I think will be less stressful for them,and we would be far more likely to get the result to go our way. Jill
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sorry Jill but when you have already lost 4 years and some will have had to wait longer to get their pension I dont think your proposal is fair to just recieve 1 year of compo out of 4 years of stolen pension no crumbs are acceptable especially when the government have found 300 billion to help with covid 19 and could find nothing to help us. and the appeal is to win our pensions back not to accept anything less after how appalingly we have been treated. as I said earlier NO CRUMBS.. I very much doubt they will help us anyway unless forced to they haven’t helped up to now… roll on July hope we get our day in court we all trully deserve it and have worked long and hard for what is rightfully ours our pensions in full not for less.
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sorry Jill but when you have lost 4 years of your pension already and some ladies will have lost and played the waiting game longer than me. why should we settle for anything less we have worked long and hard and paid in religiously to recieve these pensions and when the government as found 300 billion to fund covid 19 and still going to spend billions on HS2 by the way. and yet could find nothing to pay our pensions with. and offered no help again through this covid crisis we are non existent to them. I hope we get our day in court and WIN back all the pension we have lost nothing less is acceptable so no half measures and definately no CRUMBS.
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Janet thank you for your continued efforts to try and help women like me get what we are legally entitled to payment if pension paid at 60 as per agreed with the government of Britain pay national insurance to ensure you are entitled to receive pension at 60 let’s hope the review on July will be met with some justice for the WASPI women
Thank you
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I totally agree, I don’t think we have any chance of getting it back to 60. Better get some then none at all.
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i haven’t been able to work since 28, as my identity was stolen…can’t get benefits or anything, 43 now….anybody know how this will effect my pension on the off chance i live that long?
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oh, and before i worked for agencies….who routinely paid my nino contributions to the WRONG number, despite taking a photocopy of the card as well….refused point black to sort it out 😦
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Unbelievable!!!!
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Win or lose I am so grateful to all those who fight our cause. I pray justice is served this time. We have been treated appallingly. This new information should surely help enormously. I am 65 and desperate for retirement.
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Remember…. The government ‘misappropriated’ £271 billion from the NI pot which would go a long way to cover COVID19 expenses. Though they have never owned up to what they have done with it. We should make no concessions and demand what was contractually agreed and paid for over many decades. (After all, we never even joined up – they helped themselves to money from our pay packets before we got anywhere near them)
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It just sounds scandolus that this was even allowed to happen
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https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4514943/national-insurance-auto-credits-for-men
See link to moneysaving expert information 24 March 2013, regarding the autocredit scheme available to men only…and that the notion for ladies to be given this too having been ‘rescinded’.
I’ve paid £741 for a years worth (three more to pay) of Voluntary Class 3 NI contributions despite having 37 years work registered on the HMRC record – most of which were with the council and therefore contracted out.
I’m now unsure about whether to pay these extra three years or wait until the judicial process reaches a conclusion. The last thing I (and all sisters out there) want to do is squander hard earned savings into a system that ‘loses’ it?
I guess no-one can answer this, but any hints would be welcome?
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my advice? don’t voluntary give them any money ever….it will disappear, be stolen, avoid, evade wherever you can…
but these days they don’t even bother with court dates, they just send anonymous psychopaths around to beat you up and steal your possessions, computers/ evidence, value it at a tiny fraction of what it is actually worth……and make up whatever story they like, on the rare occasion they can be bothered to…like when a journalist gets involved.
buy a gun?
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Extraordinary indeed. Many thanks to Myfanwy Opeldus for uncovering this and to you, David, for covering it. For 50s women like me who haven’t a clue, you are godsends.
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Disgraceful discrimination
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I think the whole thing is an appalling disgrace, I am 66 still working because I have too and claimed my state pension late last year. I have worked full time since I was 15, when I claimed my state pension I lost £70 a month because it had been contracted out for several years. I was not asked or informed about this so feel totally robbed twice! My worry is even if we do win and we 100% should, they will pay it at the very end of a tax year so we end up paying maximum tax on it. So I feel it is imperative that we make sure that we pay no more than 20% tax, to be honest I do not think we should pay any tax on it at all the way we have been cheated and lied too so appallingly.
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Ah if only this article was actually correct. Men got auto credits from the age of 60-65 from 1983 if they were not working and not paying NI because by then a woman of the same age would already have retired and be claiming her state pension. Indeed to get the same state pension from age 60 a woman had to contribute NI for 39 years of a 44 year working life (16-60), to get the same pension a man had to contribute 44 years out of 49 (16-65). SO a woman would get the same pension for 5 years longer on 5 years less paying in. This measure went some way towards redressing that balance if a man wasn’t working or earning below the NI threshold. As noted in the article the intention was to extend this to women when their state pension age increased to 65 so both sexes would be treated the same as announced in 1993. The anomaly then only applies to 2010 – 2018 and I agree that is unfair although by then most would not be receiving the auto credits because they would be getting credits through signing for unemployment benefit or other benefits from age 60-65. Thus the number of men who benefited from this while women did not i.e. only men aged 60 plus post 2010, is actually very small and certainly not over 4 million. Oh and while I’m at it Steve Webb left Royal London some months ago, do keep up David.
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Darren, I must take issue with you over your conclusion that 4.6 million men got auto credits is untrue. I see according to your website you are a private pensions adviser of 26 years standing and work for a company charging £1500 fees for preparing a financial retirement plan. So you are knowledgeable but wrong over this. Auto credits were introduced for men over 60 in the 1983 budget as a temporary measure to relieve unemployment – but turned out to be a permanent offer until it was finally phased out in 2018. Also the women who lost out after 2010 would not be that tiny – since 3.8 million had a delayed pension – and probably a large proportion would have got auto credits until 2018 as many are claiming Universal Credit and sickness benefits. Your last point about Steve Webb is correct and I have changed the blog as a result.
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I get ESA, David, and I get national insurance auto credits towards my pension, so I don’t understand this at all? I got them prior to 2018, and I still get them now. In 1993, AFAIK, unemployed men were allowed to stop claiming job seekers allowance, or whatever unemployment benefit was called in 1993, once they reached 60, and, if eligible, (I.E unless they began claiming a private/works pension & had too much income to qualify for means tested PC) they could claim pension credit, thus removing them from the unemployment figures. But, as regards NI credits towards their pension, the only difference was that, prior to that, whilst on JSA, they had to sign on each week in order to receive these credits. But, once they went onto pension credit, they got the NI credit without having to sign on.
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An interesting discussion here David – Darren claims that the number of men post 2010 who benefited compared to women who didn’t would be small but you don’t agree. I know you helped me out on your other article when I was wondering why I didn’t get any benefit when I reached SPA in 2011 so I found Darren’s comments helpful too.
How many women would it have helped? It had to be those reaching SPA before age 65 so that would be only those reaching SPA before 6th December 53 so perhaps a third of the 3.8m at most?
Then how many would actually have gained any state pension from it considering only 30 years were needed from 2010 to 2016? Perhaps those who reached SPA between April 2016 and November 2018 might have benefited a little when it was increased to 35 years but it looks like it would only have gained them a year at most according to this table.
When you were born Credits to add Add credits for tax years when you were aged
Before 6 October 1950 5 years 60 to 64
Before 6 October 1951 4 years 61 to 64
Before 6 October 1952 3 years 62 to 64
Before 6 July 1953 2 years 63 to 64
Before 6 October 1953 1 year 64
I’m very interested in this as my wife was born 21st August 53 so it looks like she should have got one autocredit like me. Looks like it wouldn’t have given her any extra money either though as she had 41 years anyway.
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Jack. it is really difficult to tell how many women would have benefited from this. However after the rise in their pension age began I think official figures started to show both an increase in women over 60 in work and a rise in the numbers claiming benefit. Obviously those claiming benefits would have benefited by this. Also many of this group of women – unlike those who will get credits for child care now under the new pension, – do not have the full 35 years because of not working to bring up children. Even if some were working part time unlike now, they didn’t qualify for NI credits.
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The current retirement age is 65. I will hit 65 on 3rd September this year (2020) but somehow, because the Govt are changing the SPA to 66 in OCTOBER of this year I will have to wait until I get to 66. Who made retirement age 65 and 1 month? It seems that whenever I get to it, it moves further away!!!
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@David Hencke
Thank you for your reply although I’m still rather puzzled to be honest. You mention those women claiming benefits would benefit from this autocredits scheme but wouldn’t they be already receiving a credit through receiving their benefit as Norma said? I understood the autocredits scheme to be useful for those that were not signing on for benefits – I may have misunderstood that but I don’t think so.
With regard to the credits for child care, my wife received Home Responsibilities Protection from 1978 when the scheme first started. She missed out on 2 credits as our first child was born in 1976. From my calculation, that means that credits have been running for 42 years so I’m beginning to think many women have more than enough NICs. Where they might be short is because they have been contracted out like my wife. She had 41 years but didn’t get a full pension but from what I’ve read from Ros Altmann the difference was paid in her work pension.
I’d still be interested to know how many women would have benefited through an increased pension had they been allowed autocredits from 2010 to 2018 but don’t know how to find out. Will this be brought up in the appeal next month?
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Norma was talking about esa not universal credit. I can only go on what people who have contacted me have told me about their circumstances. I know of one woman who told me she needs to pay some £4000 to make up her pension to the full amount. She hasn’t the money to do it so won’t get the full pension at 66. I am sure she is not a unique case. My wife at one stage had to pay £5000 to get the full pension now because of missing years when she was not teaching.
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Thank you David for your reply again. I’m not sure what you mean about Universal Credit – you do get credits if you are on Universal Credit according to this.
https://www.which.co.uk/money/tax/national-insurance/national-insurance-credits-afkfs0m7ugwc#:~:text=Unemployment%20and%20NI%20credits,Class%203%20National%20Insurance%20credits.&text=If%20you're%20not%20receiving,credits%20via%20your%20local%20Jobcentre.
I’m sorry to hear that your wife had to pay £5,000 to make her state pension up to full. Did she not receive credits from HRP when she wasn’t teaching?
I don’t know about the woman who needed to pay £4,000 – was she born before October 53 and would have benefited from autocredits for 2 years at most? Was she contracted out? My wife tells me that there are many people on the various pension groups that don’t understand what contracting out means to them and why they get a lower state pension. My wife didn’t understand at first either till she read the information from Ros Altmann and Paul Lewis which explained it to her. My wife could have bought an extra 2 years at around £1500 but decided not to bother as she now knows she gets it anyway in her work pension.
I’ve read a lot over the past few days and I now understand it a whole lot better. I think that unless we know the full circumstances of those women who are getting less state pension, it’s difficult to really form an accurate opinion based on what might be told.
Thanks again for your help – it’s certainly been interesting.
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This is not right
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Dear Mr Levy
Please see attached information. I would be very grateful if you could support the court case which is ongoing to get full restitution for those 1950s women, like myself, who have had to work an extra six years to ensure we recieve a full pension. Reading this article proves that an act of total discrimination has taken place against us. Any support you can offer would be gratefully accepted.
Kind regards
Judith Hardington
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Just watched BBC1 Prog ‘Back In Time 1960-1980’. This should be played to the Judges in July. This should remind them or refresh their memories how the Women were swindled by Bosses, Men in General and Government by leaving too much wriggle room for Employers to still class Women as Unskilled Workers and pay less wages. Employers were given 5 years to think about how they got around the law. Introduction of Trade Unions for Women was necessary as shown by Dagenham Ladies. Women were allowed to serve Men behind the bar but not many pubs allowed Women to spend their earned money, relaxing with friends. Landlords ruled.
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Why as this information not used during our Judicial Review????
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It is scandalous that men get different treatment to women I have worked over40yrs paid my full NI contributions wewhen I was sick with cancer carried on working having no choice now when I need my pension what I am entitled to paid all my due still have to wait another 6yrs how do these people sleep at night they must have mothers wife’s daughters in their lives many thanks to David and all the back to 60s Organization For what we are entitled to thanks Mrs Tripta Khanna
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My god equality was never an option for 1950’s women. It has been the complete opposite at every turn. It seems the Government have deliberately set out to strip the women of every oppotunity offered to men and therefore humiliate us as much as possible, forcing us into poverty, working an extra 6 years in ill health and selling our homes (my predicament) to survive. 6yrs wait for women and 1 yr wait for men. WHERE IS THE EQUALITY !!!
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I am 61 and have worked since I was 16 and have to wait now until I am 66 before I am due to get my state pension.
My job is quite long hours and I am on my feet a lot which gives me back ache and neck problems. However, as I was divorced some 20 years ago, I am responsible for working to pay my bills on my own. I also did not get anything from my husbands pension at the time because this law did not exist. I have always opted out of the works pension scheme as I needed the full money to survive on. I am not looking forward to working for another 5 years and this is what I have to do in order to pay my bills.
Roll on the review.
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There has to be justice for us all based on all of the evidence available. We have been discriminated against for 20 years and still it’s going on. Why can governments break the law!!! Surely it’s wrong wrong wrong!
David Hencke and associates you are all amazing the fight you are putting in on our behalf. Thank you, and I truly hope justice prevails for us all.
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This info.on autocredits is sexist and discriminates against women.As such it does not meet with equality under an equalities assessment or the Sex Discrimination Act as it clearly discriminates against women in favour of men! Surely the govt.
will need to compensate
us!
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I truly am gobsmacked by what I have just read.. Unbelievable!! I hope that this information goes to the court of appeal on 21st of July this is an absolute scandal and once again proves that women have been shafted by the government!
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A lot of us have paid by now 47years NI. We were given no choice by decisions made in our Parliament to pay all these extra yrs.not one new law made to help situation Women have found themselves in or there own promises made to do so as Many men were helped by them, so this alone seems unfair, unequal and cruel at end of working lives to not have simply helped willingly
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Message I sent to Rishi Sunak ..no reply yet !
My query was not about jobs …( age discrimination is still being used in the workplace )
It is about the discrimination of pension payments to early born 1950s Women.
Please, will you the Government be thinking of closing the gap on payments between the old pension rate and the new one in the future ? ..The New Higher rate is for lifetime and a much,much higher payment .
I and other 1951 & 1952 born ladies have just missed out on the April 6th 2016 deadline date ,and are being treated like 2nd class pensioners ,These Women being stuck on the old lower rate for the rest of their lifetime ..having already lost up to 3 years of Pension and never being able to catch up with the younger 1950 Pensioners.
This is not the equality that the government are supposed to be striving for .
It is not right that the early 1950s born Women should suffer again after being refused retirement at age 60 as was always promised ,with no time given to save up for this hardship and their ĺoss of rightful entitlement .
Men of the same age as Women ( who were in the same class at school and started work at the same time,who share the same birth date )are somehow entitled to the Higher Rate .. 1951/1952 born Women are still struggling financially on approx £40 a week less Pension
All 1950/51born Women should be entitled to receive the Higher Rate Pension, the same as all the other 1950s born Men & Women
If you do not agree, then I and many other Women will feel very much deceived by this Government
Please don’t ignore the older aged 1950s Generation of Women those that all had their promised retirement at 60 changed
Please treat them fairly and work to unite them instead of dividing them.
..I just wanted to highlight this gross discrimination still happening between.Men and Women and age related
Thank you
Christine Barella
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Pingback: Exclusive: The 4.6 million men who “retired” at 60 to get a pension top up paid by the taxpayer – Haomanitylife
Womens pensions have been stolen.
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I’m a man so hopefully can comment here as I’ve followed the campaign with interest due to my wife being affected. I was born August 53.
I stopped work in 2013 when i was 60 but didn’t get my state pension until August 2018 when I was 65. I did notice from my NI record that I got one autocredit for 2016/17 but none for 2013 to 2016.
I’m short of NI years as I spent some time working abroad so I only had 32 years. I decided to pay for 3 years to get a full pension. From what I’ve been reading and seeing mentioned elsewhere I should have got autocredits from age 60 to 65 so should have got 5 years and not just one.
Could I ask you David if I have been done out of paying for 3 years when I shouldn’t have? I just wanted to check before I contact the DWP about this.
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I can’t guarantee I am right but it looks like you should contact the DWP about it. Remember the scheme ended in 2018.
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Thank you David. Just before I contact the DWP tomorrow am I asking why I didn’t get autocredits for tax years 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2017/18?
I want to get it right in case they try to fob me off.
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Yes it is no further than April 2018.
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Hi David, just thought I would update you on this after various phone calls this morning.
First of all I called the DWP as you suggested (waited an hour on hold) but they said that I needed to contact HMRC ( slightly quicker as only 15 minutes wait) as it was about National Insurance credits. I spoke to a very helpful man who knew all about the autocredits.
Turns out it was actually tax year 2017/18 that I got the credit for – I thought it was 2016/17 so sorry for that confusion. Turns out I only had 31 years and not 32 as I thought. My memory seems to be getting worse!
He explained that men used to be able to get autpcredits from age 60 as that was women’s state pension age at the time and also because 44 years were needed for a full Basic State Pension. However from 2010 on to 2018 the autocredits that we men could get were then not from age 60 but rising in line with women’s state pension age rising. For my age group women’s state pension age was 64 so I was only entitled to get an autocredit from 64 to 65, so only that one year. If my birthday had been in October 53 as opposed to August 53 I wouldn’t have got any at all.
So basically it was tapered down from 5 to just 1 from 2010 to 2018 and only men born up to 5th October 53 gained any at all.
So a disappointing morning for me especially after reading your article yesterday and then you thinking I should definitely contact the DWP. I really thought I was going to get a refund for those 3 years I had to pay.
Perhaps they will at least let women born up to 6th October 53 get autocredits too.
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What a disgrace this wrong needs putting right it is immoral Lorraine McBride 1950’s and lost out.
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I need to retire I am 63 now and tired
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I totally empathise. I am 63 and feel that I just cannot go on. I have no money coming in from anywhere since March and I feel too tired and worn out to start working again. I have raised 6 kids, worked full time most of my life. I have paid my dues and need some time – it’s all we have left – but we need to survive too. This government are shameful.
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It’s disgusting it affects me
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Women hardly got any notice of the change in SP age. Were the men who benefitted from this scheme given adequate notice to apply for it? 4.6 m got it so they must have!! Nobody else seemed to know about this benefit for men but everybody, apart from 1950s women seem to know about womens SP age changes. Strange !!
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Yes. He could also retire early at 60 and claim Pension Credit if on a low income as it was available to men if the same age as women who would be eligible for it up until they changed the rules last year!
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Apart from the men getting auto credits they also got free bus pass at 60 even when womens pension age was put up until 2015 I believe worth checking up
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This is absolutely absurd. It appears that the government have deprived us women of our pension and given it to the men!
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does anybody know what the situation/ entitlement is when you haven’t officially existed for a decade and a half? identity stolen….I suspect benefits may still well being claimed in my name, no way to find out…but if they contributions presumably still being made?
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How to goodness can this be seen as Equality.? It makes me heart sick how this cruelty against 1950s women was allowed to happen and even more so that in our age of info and so called ‘equality ‘ it continues ??????!!!!!! Oh I know …its because WOMEN ARE AN EASY TARGET !!!!!!!
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Disgusting corruption against 1950s women we should have our pensions and compensation paid to us for all we have suffered cannot help thinking more to all of this evidence disgusting guarded by previous judges.more evidence .truth must prevail
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Yes I totally agree we should get what we have paid for full dues is what we deserve and justice should take place sooner then later for all the women girls daughters of this country pray justice takes place with the right goverment
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62 made redundant and no money – no job to get and no help at all from the government ….. Covid seems the least of my worries –
Men making rules for men …. well done Back to 60 for at least trying to help.
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This new information doesn’t surprise me. Government past and present don’t give a toss about women and never will. There’s no equality while women and especially 1950s women have no say in there pensions. That’s why the young people I work with are not wanting to save towards a pension there never going to get. Government will change at will or they’ll be too old to get it
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Very unfair on female s
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Also Men born at the same as Women are getting assessed on a higher rate..I still cant work out why this is ?
A Man born in 1952 is on the New Pension Rate
A Woman born in 1952 is on the Old Pension Rate which is a lot less
Did the Men receive credits too ?
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The government needs to be fair a d honest to all the women in this country. Justice should be done now I have paid over 40yrs of my dues keep your promises the government made when I started work over45yr ago it’s disgusting how women are treated in a rich country like u.k.
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It sucks and is totally immoral
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Wow some difference there
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There seems to be so much that’s been ‘hidden’ over many years! I hope justice will be done & SOME recompense sorted out.
The word FAIR is very important I feel here.
I’ve suffered quite badly by the 6 year wait & my life savings & a little bit of an inheritance money has been my saviour & is dwindling fast. I’m due my pension in November so my wait will finally be over!
I thank the ladies who have worked tirelessly to make awareness of our plight & we now need to stick together to get our deserved justice & recompense of some sort .
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I think this is discussing how the government is treating women unfairly I still have to wait for another three years for my pension with being ill with cancer still working paid all my dues for 44years and more it seems one rule for men and another for secondary citizens women in this country same being the 5th richest nation in the world well done David for informing us of the truth and being honest and big thank you to all the team who have worked so hard for years to get justice for all the women may god bless you all x
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Disgraceful and misogynistic legislation designed to keep women living in penury, and fearful of their future. Shame on Steve Webb and the rest of his cronies at Westminster. Ok for them living on their fat pensions at the expense of our health and well being both financially, physically and mentally. Feels like women have been punished for doing the right thing by working and raising a family, whilst being paid less than what a man would have been.
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Totally agree with all the comments nothing has changed keep the good work to tell the truth thanks to all
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This is so unfair ,yet again men are looked after yet the pension I’ve already paid in is being kept from me. It needs to be put right. There is no way they would’ve done this to men . I’m owed nearly 45thousand pounds in pension that I’ve paid in . I wasn’t informed of the change .
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If ever there was an uneven playing field this is it. Women have been treated as second class in this country by successive governments ( cross party). This injustice to women must be rectified ASAP before we all die!
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Women have always been treated as secondary citizens by this country we have paid all our dues and are entitled to our pension it is daylight robbery by all the government in power David Henckely has been doing a great job for women and I thank all his team for their hard work from the bottom of my heart pray justice will be done soon many thanks
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Unfair, discrimination, and very damaging to women who have worked all their lives from 16. No student loans; very limited maternity provision; no equal pay and forced to take lower paid / lower grade positions when children were young.
Then to find out 2 years before retirement it had moved 7 years !! disaster for women like me in short term (3/4 year) funded charity sector professions ……. Abandoned and left to struggle with no job – or prospects of getting a job.
I have no respect for the politics that agreed this- insult to injury when i read what the man who pushed this through got in his ‘retirement package’
I really hope you can help.
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Disgusting words fail me how can this be right 😡things need change and pay what is owed to these ladies …our pension is not a benefit we payed in now we should be paid what is owed to us ….
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A big thanks to all who’ve brought this to our attention.
What can we do about this in justice?
As Baroness Brenda Hale says, ‘The fundamental principles of equal treatment cannot depend upon how much money happens to be available in the public coffers at any one particular time .. that argument would not avail a private employer and it should not avail the state’
For me personally, never mind my naivety in the life changing hormonal symptoms of menopause, my heath has definitely been affected by striving on in a very stressful work/life balance time of my life.
Just when I thought I could start to see my way towards actually doing some much needed volunteering, support the elderly in my family & be a supportive grandmother, I’m having to continue earning a career level salary just to get by!
I also feel I’m taking up a job a younger person could benefit from.
I turn 64 soon; I can’t see how I’ll ever afford to retire from the ‘day job’. I’m sure there are plenty others in similar situation.
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Thanks for reposting this distressing information.
Could we have an update as to what’s being done to level this playing field?
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