Judges are inscrutable. Like wise old owls you can never be sure what they are thinking. This week’s two day hearing of the Court of Appeal into the rejected judicial review on behalf of 3.8 million women born in the 1950s who saw their pension age rise from 60 to 66 was no exception.
However the proceedings were extraordinary for a number of reasons. For a start the introduction of new technology clashed with the traditional proceedings of the courts.
Hit by Covid 19, the Court of Appeal decided that ” public interest ” in the case was so great that it should be live streamed with some of the judges and lawyers contributing via video link. They were justified with audiences over 2000 peaking at one point to just below 4000 – Court No 71 could never hold anything near that number ever, Covid 19 or not. Now two days later it has been seen by over 16,000 people.
For the first day it worked. But during the second day it ran into a number of technical problems -including cutting people off. And at the very end of the day the technology fizzled out for me so I didn’t see the very last part of the hearing . I have now seen it and Michael Mansfield makes a strong defence of why 50s women have been so badly affected by the delay in the pension age, citing one case where a woman contemplated suicide. He also emphasised the failure to notify people properly, saying there was a common law duty to do so.
Henrietta Hill was questioned by the judges about indirect and direct sex and age discrimination and how the lawyers saw their case being applied.
The judges reserved judgement which means it could be a few months before there is a decision.
Judges were engaged
The three judges presiding over the hearing were engaged with the debate.. The Master of the Rolls, 69 year old Sir Terence Etherton, is also president of the Property Bar Association and chairman of the Trust Law Committee and a visiting professor at Birkbeck College. In his youth he was a fencer and a member of the GB International Fencing Team, including being selected for the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.
Lord Justice Sir Nicholas Underhill, 68, is a former president of the Employment Appeal Tribunal so well versed in complex cases. He also is a former Attorney General to the Prince of Wales.
Lady Justice Dame Vivien Rose,60, is the most recently appointed appeal judge of the three, is an expert in EU and UK competition law, tax, has been a Treasury legal adviser and held a post in the Ministry of Defence as Director of Operations and International Humanitarian Law during the Gulf War. Unlike the other two judges, who were educated at public schools, she was educated at a London comprehensive school and is the first lawyer in her family. She also sings in a choir.
Given this expertise of the judges it was extraordinary that Sir James Eadie, QC, the Treasury First Counsel, nicknamed the ” Treasury devil” should try to get the Judicial review declared unlawful.
He was building on the questioning in the previous judicial review which raised whether Ms Justice Dame Beverley Lang was right in granting the judicial review for the 3.8 million women in the first place.
He was shot down with a rapier like comment from the Master of the Rolls who pointed out he could have raised this immediately after her judgement at a special hearing and again when the judicial review was heard.
” Not in my brief” -Sir James Eadie
His reply was “it was not in my brief from the DWP ” and talked about ” the bigger picture”. My interpretation of that is Amber Rudd, then works and pensions secretary, would have been well aware that to strike out a review for 3.8 million women would have been political dynamite and caused widespread furore well beyond the actual case.
But Sir James persisted citing judgments which said that the case could have been held in 1995 as soon as the Pension Act was passed. Michael Mansfield,QC dealt with that claim in his summing up.
What is important is that the judges were really engaged with the arguments and tested both sides equally. They looked at the notification ( or non) notification issue of the pension age rise, listened to the arguments involving EU law and the relevance of the UN Convention of the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and noted the auto credits issue which allowed 4.6 million men over 60 from 1983 to 2018 to have their national insurance contributions paid by the state.
Sir James Eadie’s tactics seem to be to try and get most of the case law raised by Adam Straw and Henrietta Hill for the 50swomen ruled as irrelevant.
At one point the Master of the Rolls intervened to point out to Sir James that Adam Straw’s argument about one particular case was aimed at making a specific legal point not about the content of the case.
The other DWP tactic was to use out of date information. Sir James used 2011 as the reference for the continuing rise in longevity ( and pension payment costs) – the high point of the increase – ignoring it flatlining since. This I gather was corrected by Michael Mansfield later.
Sir James also got it wrong when he said the purpose of the case was to reduce the pension age to 60 for all women. It isn’t. It is to fully compensate the 3.8 million women who feel cheated about waiting six years for a pension and not being properly told about the change.
The DWP switched tactics over the economic plight of the 1950s women – in the original judicial review he made great play of the fact they were not worse off but some were well off.
This time he acknowledged that 1950s women faced economic disadvantages and social ills but these, he argued, were nothing to do with the raising of the pension age.
For people watching this case it must have seemed a bit arcane that it is based on case law rather than – though Michael Mansfield did highlight their catastrophic plight – going into detail of the hardships of 50swomen. Full statements on the hardships faced by the two women cited in the case were passed to the judges by Michael Mansfield.
judgement time
Now for a judgment. The point of a judicial review is to question the administration of a policy to see if it was fit for purpose and had not disadvantaged people.
Therefore don’t expect a judgement ordering the women must have all the money. But you could expect a judgement saying the system cheated them which will have to lead to action by the government to redress the matter.
Either way win or lose the BackTo60 campaign will be considerably enhanced by the outcome of this case – because it highlights the women’s plight and will be a force to reckon with. Going to law is much more powerful than trying to persuade MPs.
After all very few campaigners can claim to have their case examined by the Master of the Rolls and I know BackTo60 lawyers are delighted that they got an appeal on all the points they raised in the first judicial review.
Westminster Confidential 
Absolutely brilliant David. For some of us it was s minefield trying to understand points of Law etc but you have explained it fully & I thank you for that. We will wait & see now. The whole backto60 team have been amazing & your input invaluable.
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Born Nov 1954, I found out about the rise of state pension age in a letter I received in 2012, I was just 2 years away from 60, I had no idea at all that I would have to work a further 6 years until I got that letter in 2012, I went to work that day but I was DEVASTATED and I could not concentrate my manager ask me what was wrong and I told her I could not retire in 2 years time. I started to cry I was that upset. And even my manager did not know of the change, I finished work at 60 through health problems and was unable to claim anything as my partner was working so for the last 5 years he has had to support me, I have felt so entirely useless in having no income what so ever. And the fact that I worked all my life from 16 to 60 without a break, i was also one of many who worked in a high street bank and being a women and working part time I was not allowed to join the company pension scheme. so I have been doubly discriminated against. I try to put all this behind me but its hard and affects your mental well being.
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Well said. I only received a letter exactly 1 year before I was as I thought due to retire at 69. I was born June 1953 and had to wait 3 3/4 years before I received my sp. If as the dwp are saying, we were all aware of the situation, why did they feel the need to send letters out. Doesn’t make sense
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I was born in 1954 too. I have never received any notification of a change to my pension. I only found out when I read about this in the news papers. I, like everyone, feel cheated. I started work at 16, have never earned as much as my male colleagues. My deal with The Government was that I would pay the full stamp and at 60 I would get my pension. I have up held my part of the deal. Can you imagine if I owed tax, and said I will paid it 6 years late?
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I know the feeling. It was changed to 62 or 63 years of age at the start and then I couldn’t believe I was going to have to wait until I was 66. My sister in law is just a few months older than me and she got her state pension at 60. I’ve had to wait another 6 years and it’s not fair 😡
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I was born the year before you & i too was notified by a letter , I’m sure it was January 2012, I still have it. It just isn’t fair. I understand why they are raising the age but it is the craziest system I’ve ever known, who thought it up, we should have been given much more notice. What have they done with our money that we paid in. The pension is poor compared to other countries!
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Like you Sharon I was ill informed. In my case I had a whole 4 months notice of the changes. Having just been made redundant at the age of 59. I have never claimed benefits and so I thought I had enough redundancy money to last until my pension kicked in so I requested a forecast it was at this point I was informed I would have to wait. I lost 3 years and 2 months of pension. My family kept me until the pension kicked in July 2016. I was born May 1953. The humiliation of having to ask for money will stay with me for the rest of my life, for someone who has always worked from age 16 it was devastating. Like you I was not allowed to join the company pension scheme and so this is the second slap in the face. I would like to know what we have done to offend our own government as they seem willing to help people all over the world but not their own pensioners. At the start of the pandemic Boris said no one would be punished for doing the right thing, well Prime Minister, we did and we are.
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I am the same age… also worked in a bank .. not allowed to join a pension scheme… glad you are coming to terms with this injustice.. but it’s difficult at times isn’t it .. I lost my home .. take care
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controlled leaks’ by Whiteminster, it is alleged that Jeremy Hunt and senior Treasury officials are in ‘the later stages’ of drawing up sweeping reforms to UK State Pension provision.
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I’m 62 single no private pension, I have progressive Multiple Sclerosis’s and Breast Cancer plus my MS causes tumours and have a large dormant one in my brain which affects my right side and my speech and now have several more after my last MRI I had my DWP stopped when PIP took over and have always worked full time. I have just over 3 years left of treatment to keep my cancer at bay and 4 years left to retire so I’ll probably die before I retire. I have a good job although can be long days and heavy at times, company car etc. Surely someone else could benefit from my job I’m only wanting my state pension as I can live on that, some years I paid over £6000 NI when I had a better position but had to take an easier role 7 years ago when I got breast cancer. My neurologist said to me a few weeks ago can they not make a special case for you and I burst out laughing and told him about loosing my DWP which I was given for life 21 years ago.
Luckily I’m still furloughed so my body’s having a well deserved rest after 45 years working and I would love to enjoy what few years I have left not working and making memories with my 10 year old granddaughter.
Thank you for fighting the fight and I was never informed of the changes.
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Sue your story makes a tough read. Bless your heart it’s immoral what they’ve done to us much love
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Sue, your story made me so angry they did the same to my husband, please go to tribunal they listen and will put this right because they have moral standards.
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I’ve worked hard all my life since I left school at 16. I was born in 1957. In 2015, I had to have both knee replacements & in 2017 a back operation . I had time off work to recover . I could not claim anything because my husband was working. I’ve always worked in catering & retail. So no sitting down . I will be worn out before I retire. Plus i think they raised the pension age hoping many of us would die before we reached it. I also raised 4 boys . Sometimes I had 2 jobs & worked around them as I could not afford child care. If I got my pension now at 63, I could enjoy my life with my second husband who is 68.
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Sue. I’m sitting here weeping for you. I feel we have all been so let down by our governments past and present. They have never valued us. I wouldn’t mind working the same as men as long as they shared the childcare, housework, shopping and we all got the same wage. The above is still not happening, Government’s can bring in as many any laws/acts as the want but humans will find ways around the law. I hope that we win this appeal and I think that we might. But, I’m sure that if we do win I at 64 years will never see a penny of it as this government will fight us kicking and screaming until most of us are dead. Take care try and stay safe. Maggie💐
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So grateful for all the help and tenacity from the Backto60 team and Michael Mansfield. For something as important as pension planning it is utterly inconceievable that any government would fail to formally notify all those Women affected by the change. Dame Rose totally understood this, she pointed out to QC Eadie that the contact details were known to the government, he on the other hand gave a spurious example of the “reasons” why legislation changes were not habitually notified to British people. QC Eadie failed to admit the fact that this unprecedented situation should have been acknowledged by the DWP and notification proceedings should have commenced in 1995. I believe governments failed in their duty of care towards a cohort of Women born in the 1950’s
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We will never get the @ £30,000 stolen from those born in 1954. However, for those affected by this outrage and now receiving a SP…..why not increase It by saying 100/200 £s per month for the rest of their lives? This debt will be paid, as we naturally depart this world and the government will at least have been seen to compensate us in some way?
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Thank you so much for the update. We can only hope … but I am being optimistic and feel from your comments that these judges will give a fair and positive outcome.
Christina Connolly
On Fri, 24 Jul 2020, 1:56 pm Westminster Confidential, wrote:
> davidhencke posted: ” The Master of the Rolls, Sir Terence Etherton Pic > credit Wikipedia Judges are inscrutable. Like wise old owls you can never > be sure what they are thinking. This week’s two day hearing of the Court of > Appeal into the rejected judicial review on behalf ” >
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Thank you from the bottom of my heart to ALL involved. You did an excellent job in putting our case across in a proper legal way, with just the right amount of emotion, which I know would have been difficult for any of us who have been victim of this heinous miss-justice xxx
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Fantastic job… well done. Thank you everyone who is fighting for our plea to be heard. I for one are very grateful.
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I hope someone mentions that the Government have assisted millions of people , giving £300 million aid to a India and £71 million to a China but failed.. to assist their own citizens women born in 1950s in financial difficulty . Having worked for over 45 years, paid my contributions, never had benefits I feel extremely disadvantaged and discriminated against. If the government have millions to give to other countries, they have funds to assist us. Thank you to all those involved in the judicial review.
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I hope that now there will be no further appeal to the supreme court. I will not be contributing. I feel we were led to believe that there would be full retribution to 60 and that could never ever happen. Those at the top knew that too. To carry on now would be like lemmings going over the cliff.
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not my fight,,,,,but sometimes you have to carry on fighting when there is no realistic alternative 😦
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Here Here Jake, I wonder when we will hear anything?
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Remember also we are dealing with a government who are quite happy to let Britain’s children starve and a judiciary, in the governments pocket to assist them out of fear. They are also costing the loss of the over 60s in terms of “financial savings”. Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
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we would be stupid to stop fighting now we have got this far. we need to carry on the gov cannot be allowed to keep taking our money away without proper justification and no notice. It is our money its money we pay in all our working lives and should be able to have back at a reasonable time in our lives not have to wait 6 or 7 years longer for it. though I do wonder if all the Judges sing off the same hymn sheet togather. we need to fight on not give up if only to help future generations. as this so called government is doing nothing to help us .. supreme court it as to be as it appears theres no other way to get Boris the Bodger to Listen to us and give us what is rightly and fairly ours are PENSIONS. we must fight on ladies or the government as won…..
I eagerly await a date for the appeal.
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My goodness David, a fantastic report helping me to understand the Judicial Review. I left school at 15, not a long education, am one of the #BackTo60 1950sWomen who listened to and tried to understand proceedings. You have made the case clear to me, and allayed my fears, something I struggle with. Thank you for your amazing support. Anne 64 London.
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Thank you, David Hencke. Clear and concise as all your writing.
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Hi David there was a point raised, I cannot remember on which day about women today being better off than before. This cannot be true in my opinion since the women today do not get a widows pension anymore whereas older women did. Plus any form of benefit is of a lesser value ( in my opinion) than they used to be. Single women who live alone still pay at least 75% of council tax ( formerly poll tax) . I find that thousands of women are paying not much less for this as a family of six for instance. There are in my view many differences from my mothers generation and mine financially. Small points I know but for council tax and water rates it costs me not far of £ 180 a month. Then there is gas, electric, insurance ect ect. Still all have to be paid from a meagre pension . All just my opinions of course. Other than that I thought our case was brilliantly put forward by Mr Mansfield and his team. I will be ever grateful to them all whatever the outcome, which I pray will be favourable for us women and a win for the Legal team.
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Hi David , thank you again for your continued support and your excellent detective journalism , can I pick your brains , I remember reading that we 50’s woman paid extra in NI contributions to off set retiring at 60 , I also read it was pushed through by Peter Lilley and then stopped us finding out , it might be in The Hansard Reports ! David do you know of this , or could you investigate and pass this info onto MM and his legal team ? Thank you again for everything you do for us , I’m feeling this could be our last chance ! Kind regards Cherie Foster
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Hi Cherie, Yes I did know about Peter Lilley deciding not to inform people. That was in the bundle of documents released by the DWP for the cxourt case. It was secret until it was released.
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Aww thanks David and for confirming it
Regards Cherie
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Hi David, further to my question about Auto credits for men , our friend Miffy who requested this through FOI as had an update , DWP are now declaring that in fact the numbers are 9.8 million ! Also they must of used auto credits to unemployed women or women on long term UC as my Sister in law’s Sister was moved on to her Pension from long term unemployment in 2016 , she is the same age as me , I should of retired in 2016 , so waited 4 years up till now & worked 2 of those 4 years , this means we are being penalised for working , that’s just not right , to give pensions to people that haven’t worked, I would expect the numbers would be high , just for the DWP to juggle the unemployment figures, please could you pass this on to the Legal Team , thank you David
Kind regards Cherie Foster
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I am 64…my husband walked out 4 months before my 60th birthday leaving me with horrendous debts to fend for myself! He was physio with Plymouth Argyle FC and had been sending photos of his privates to one woman who then sent them To me!! He left me for her!! I lost my husband, my life in Cornwall, and my home in Livingston because of his actions! I have been homeless for 9 months! Living where I could at age 62!! I now have a Council house but no carpets etc! My ex has lied thru divorce hearing and I got almost nothing because I couldn’t afford to fight it!!
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So so sorry what a horrible man.
This is one of the saddest cases I Hv seen. I csn relate to the first part and moving but luckily protected my assets before going into buying property with him. I did live pretty much penniless on a daily basis but had roof over my head.FromAge 61
Thought retire 62.7(was60) found this out 2010 then didn’t know about 2011Act was actually 65.7. Couldn’t get much work as by now moved to cheaper area but no work apart summer in seaside town.
Doesn’t compare to what you Hv gone through but mine was doing stuff on internet using my email that’s how he got caught.
I hope something or someone wonderful fills the rest of your life you deserve it. Hugs💁🏼
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Thank you for a very comprehensive summary.
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Thank you David, I never received any notification until late 2011 early 2012 and it was a work colleague who first told me after checking her pension forcast and advised me to check mine ! Even then pension website hadn’t been updated and I checked it twice asked for a forcast sending and only then did they write to me ! In 1995 they had enough info for me as I had a child at school, my own buisness where I was registered for tax and was named carer with DWP for my mums finances ! I’m also affected because of my date of birth to not get my pension until 66 !
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Thank you
The DWP and The inland Revenue have always found me to to
A inform me of child allowance changes
B send me my self employed communications
Why did they not write and confirm changes ?
The government need to create an extra day off so society can listen to the budget, if they just slide things through without notification then I can sit and listen and not go to work !
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Thank you David for your explanation.
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You’re input for much appreciated, thank you 👏🙏
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Beautifully written and you can see the wood from the trees. Thanks, as always, David. We would not understand otherwise as listening to the on-line court case it was too complex for the layman. I want to say, that we could nit have coped or dealt with this injustice if we had not had you and the legal team and all the wonderfully talented people fighting on all our behalf so unselfishly. Heaven knows what we would have done without you all as you have kept our faith in human nature. Without which, what sort of world are we living in and it gives us hope and hope for our future generations. I am using my husband’s phone as I’m not too hot with social media. Can’t find the words to thank you all whatever happens. Hilda Mansfield.🏴💕
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I sat in court last year for two whole days listening to arguments from both councils! 3.9 million women believed we had achieved a positive result, and were completely devastated when case was dismissed! This time around, more evidence has since come to light, ie men’s pension credits, which surely must be used in this appeal?? Was this fair to women?? No!! Did the govt try to hide this?? Yes!! The livestream was at times hard to follow, due to technical issues… and it would appear that MMQC had more problems with his livestream than anyone else?? A bug, or bugged to fail?? We have to find success in this appeal…. if not… what’s the point of having a Justice System at all if they fail to see the real injustice served to 50’s women… or are these judges too in cahoots with the govt to once again turn a blind eye!! We await results nervously!!!
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So what do you think that our chances are of getting any money at all??
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Excellent reporting David. It does indeed make things a lot clearer to those of us who may not have understood all the legal jargon and implications whilst watching via the live stream. We just have to wait patiently now until we know the outcome of the hearing. Strange that there was virtually no media coverage though.
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It has been really helpful to have you clarifying the points made by Eadie and the Judges, I found the whole thing rather tortuous to listen to and difficult to comprehend. Thank you so much. I have been humiliated and depressed by the fact they stole 6 yrs off our pensions with little or no notice. You and the Back to 60 team have been invaluable in keeping our spirits up and positive during this whole debacle.
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Dear David Many thanks for the update on the judicial review on the elevated SPA for 1950’s women. I managed to view some of the hearing and felt so much better afterwards as I felt we had finally been acknowledged and understood and vindicated. The legal points raised by Henrietta Hill, Adam Straw and Michael Mansfield QC were outstandingly accurate and acutely honest . This indeed was a ‘new’ discrimination aimed and targeting a certain unlucky group of women disproportionately. And comparability was therefore inappropriate. I appreciated your update very much and all the time spent by the judges who listened carefully to the issues raised on our behalf. We hope for some truth in the findings and justice in the outcome after the complete lack of respect over several catastrophic years. Kind regards Julie Colling
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I was born eleven days after the cut off in April 1953.
I received no notice that I must work extra years. I suffered considerable ill health but had to work for three extra years. Not by choice, but necessity having been unable B to make provision.
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Thank you so much for the update. It sounds like the three judges will give a fair judgement – hopefully on our side, and will recognise the twisted facts by the DWP for what they are! I know for certain that I did not receive any notification of the change in my pension date and only learnt of it shortly before I was due to retire in 2013. I didn’t get my pension until 2018 two weeks before my 65th birthday. The govt didn’t offer to pay mu NIC to allow me to retire ‘early’! Here’s hoping for fair restitution
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Thank you David for your brilliant, concise summary of the proceedings. I too thought that the judges were engaged. Let’s hope that they see through the smoke and mirrors and find in our favour.
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I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to the Back to 60 women and the amazing Legal Team for their time.consideration and dedication to this injustice.
I am a 50’s woman who has now retired after completing my extra 5 years sentence. No amount of money can give me back those 5 years of better quality of life than I have now or the time lost with my partner and quality of life with my family and friends, I am broken 💔 and nolonger able to fight for justice. Due to ill health.
Thank you all for trying so hard to win the appeal. I witnessed the 2 days in court you could have done no more.
Hopefully one day the government and the DWP will admit that they were wrong.
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Please stay strong. I still believe in this wonderful country and our justice system. Truth and justice is what our country is built on. This cannot in anyway be eroded.
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Thank you so much for a very informative article . I now understand better than when I watched the appeal. I was never informed on the change to my SPA and it was only last October 2019 when I was aware i had to wait another year . Gillian 64 .
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i hope we have satisfaction and I for one can start to clear my huge debts caused by this inhumane disaster
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Interesting that all the judges are men . !
Also interesting that the government are seen to be giving colossal amounts of money over to China and not to women in their own country who so rightly deserved it . I’m not sure if if I ever want to vote again .
from Judy
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Thankyou David for helping us understand about the court proceedings I did watch some of it,but some was way over my head in understanding it all,but now i have a much more understanding,thankyou,and thankyou to all the team fighting for us and really well done so proud of you all for all your hard work ,I am a Christian do I have been in prayer about the whole situation so I am confident in expecting a very good outcome,God bless you all,stay close to Jesus and pray and read your bible because jesus loves you all…x
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Well done everyone. It seems so obvious that the word ‘disadvantaged’ has been proven. Fingers crossed everyone and thank you Michael Mansfield.
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Thank you for this, David, and for your much appreciated continuing support of our plight! And a massive thank you to all involved in bringing this case/appeal to the courts and those brilliant minds who are fighting for us.
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Thankyou David for helping us understand about the court proceedings I did watch some of it,but some was way over my head in understanding it all,but now i have a much more understanding,thankyou,and thankyou to all the team fighting for us and really well done so proud of you all for all your hard work ,I am a Christian I have been in prayer about the whole situation so I am confident in expecting a very good outcome,God bless you all,stay close to Jesus and pray and read your bible because jesus loves you all…x
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Thank you so much, I was unable to follow the appeal hearing. I have hearing loss. It was good to be able to read about some of the points raised. Like many of the women, I was never notified about the pension age being raised. The workplace is a struggle for me as finding it harder to communicatewith people, and meetings are a no go. Unfortunatly, I have a further 18 mths to work before I finally retire.
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Thank you so much to everyone involved in our ongoing case.
I’ve been a carer all my life and for 22 years, a Foster ‘mum’ to 2 ladies with special needs.
Only found out that I wouldn’t receive my pension at 58 years old, my husband passed away when I was 59 after a 4 day diagnosis of metastatic cancer.
I took time off from my care agency which folded a few months later.
I’m now 64 and am getting by on what is left from hubbys life ins.
I’m one of the ‘lucky’ ones, so to speak but my life has been impacted hugely by this 6 year hike.
I am truly indebted to everyone working so tirelessly with BackTo60, thank you so much.
I watched the whole case and the support from our team was truly inspiring.
You’re amazing ! X
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Just fantastic I could cry !!!! Thanks thanking you thank you thank you thank you
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Many thanks for clarifying the process. I am a 1950’s woman and expected to retire from a very demanding job at 60. Not only has my state pension age changed to 66 but also my occupational pension to 65. I wasn’t informed of either changing.
Thankyou all who are highlighting our plight and supporting our cause.
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Thank you David for all your support and help for 50s born women.I feel there is not much hope of a good outcome as i found out that James Eadie has been a lawyer for Boris Johnson and cant help thinking that the D.W.P. and the law courts are all in it together and against justice.
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Thank you for this update. It is the unintended consequences of this change that are not recognised. At 61, I had to stop work to look after my older husband who had been given two years to live. I became his carer. He managed to live for 3.5 years thanks to his iron will and my great care. As soon as he died his pension ceased and I could not claim a state pension in my own right until I am 66 so looking for work having been out of the jobs market for 3.5 years and being 64.5 years old is impossible. £100 per month bereavement allowance until I am 66 is all I am entitled to. I am sure there are a lot of us in the same position.
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Thank you David for summing up this important case. We women, who are destitute, can only hope that fairness and justice will prevail. In some cases, 50s women ARE very well off: I know a friend of mine is and does not need her pension, but myself and many others are in a completely different and difficult situations which are compounded by having no pension whatsoever. I have nothing coming in at all, after working all of my life and being my mum’s carer until she was placed in care ( a whole other government grabbing financial nightmare). Praying that justice will prevail here and that women who need their hard-earned pensions will be given what was rightfully theirs.
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Thank you for all you have done. I received 3.5 years notice that I would not receive my pension until I was 66 – gobsmacked as I thought I would receive it at 60. I divorced in 2009 and the Judge thought I would receive my pension at 60 given that settlement was made up to this period – so if the court were unaware and they should have known then it’s pretty obvious us 50’s women wouldn’t have known. I understand how health is affecting our age group especially when we have done very strenuous jobs with low pay coupled with having children – some days I’m so exhausted I can barely stay afloat and don’t believe I can work until I’m 66. I believe Mr Mansfield fought our corner good and proper this week and told the whole story and I hope such is reflected in the Court of Appeal outcome. I was pleased to hear a mention on the 4.69 men who benefited from N/I credits – disgusting that women are being asked to cough up money to fulfil their entitlement to a full pension. Hang on in their girls, we are a force to be reckoned with!!!
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This is another interesting point of evidence – if the courts were unaware how could the lay person have been expected to know?!
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One off the main points was, we were not given enough notice off the change. Another point is that we and not asking to go back to 60, we want the money we have lost out on. Might I say ,how can it be said that we are financially better off. Who knows what our situation is or what our finances are? . And why do we still have to pay national insurance is we have paid enough years in already. I could go on.
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Good review. Very well presented thank you whatever happens
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Thank you Mr David
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Thankyou David for your breakdown of our case. I listened to most of it and Michael Mansfield played a blinder each time Sir James made varying remarks & pointers.
Sir James paid by the tax payer played the role of Treasury Devil to a tea. He protected the government stance on everything. So back to 60 had to crowd fund to get our case to court then we all paid through our taxes for Sir James to argue the case against us, could you make this up!!!!
At times I felt Sir James and Sir Nicholas were almost amused as why we were even challenging our injustice. As surely men had the in equality by always having to work to 65 when women retired at 60.
What blew me away were the remarks from The Master of the Rolls. He blew Sir James out of the water on several occasions and made comment that he felt uncomfortable with the answers Sir James was giving. I was really impressed with the Master of the Rolls. Even when Sir James and Sir Nicholas were agreeing with one another the Master of the Rolls would chip in with the opposite of what they were saying.
Lady Vivian brought things down to a level of plain speak and seemed to assist our legal team on a few occasions.
David we all know we’re trying to fight a battle here that’s so unfair and so in balanced. Women in there 50’s trying to take on a government when daily we see even media shut down by them. It’s like trying to grow roses in concrete, but we will keep chipping.
Win or lose back to 60 our legal team , supporters and yourself have worked tirelessly to get us justice. Their fight for us when we’ve felt lost, bewildered and if honest at the end have given us the strength to keep fighting.
We have had so much hardship in our lives, pension changes totally shattered our retirements and now covid the final straw. We have all been warned about winter months and the imposing flu and covid. I hope with all my heart we do not lose more and more of our generation who are forced to work over the coming months.
All those young people without jobs you ask why the government cannot free up jobs by retiring 60 year olds who wish to retire.
Boris dislikes dither and delay so let’s see some action for a change, less talk more action. Use you election mantra about Levelling up our Country. Let’s see it start before we reach the worst case scenario of 120,000 deaths over the winter months.
Good luck to us all and keep safe and keep well remember we’ve reached the bottom the only way is up. Our luck will change.
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Great comments, here’s hoping we get a good result. Thanks to all the team who have worked so hard for us all, 50s women.
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What a big cover up this has been absolutely no TV or media coverage on the appeal case. So many women affected by this and it just got swept under the carpet. Big thanks to you all for keeping us informed.
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Thank you David and all the team you all played a mammoth game for us ! We can only pray your hard work is rewarded x
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Thank you so much David Hencke for reporting the proceedings in a concise way. I wasn’t able to listen in on the 22nd and you’ve given a great account of what was covered and achieved. From a very grateful 1954 lady in the fight for justice.
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Well done David an excellent explanation. Here’s too a positive outcome. They must redress this wrong doing , after all what have we 1950’s women done wrong except work and pay all our lives as required. I know I have since 15 , now 50 years !
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Excellent write up David. I did find the legalistic process and Language confusing so hats off to you for gathering this info! I was fearful
On the first day we were loosing ground. Our side appeared a bit at sea with things. But part of me thought this was because the judges in particular MoR We’re having problems dealing with the level to which these care shows how sexism and ageism can intertwine which It definitely has in this case.
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Thank you so much for all your persistence and hard work on this case. We suffered a huge injustice, made doubly offensive because it was defended on the grounds of ‘equality’ with men. For women born in the 1950s, inequality with men has been an ineradicable feature of our lives, both at work and at home. The idea that the inequalities we have experienced throughout our lives can be ‘corrected’ by this ‘equalisation’ is laughable.
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Well doneDavid, excellent explanation of the JR and it’s proceedings.
I know as a 1950’s woman and having worked now for 50 years since I was 15, paid my dues and demands in full. Why should I now have to suffer destitution because of the greed of the government’s who couldn’t manage their way out of a paper bag. I am , like a lot of women on the breadline having lost something like £48,000 , my life altered immeasurably, my health suffering. No notice , no letter only knew because I requested a pension update in 2013 two years before my 60th Birthday.
Please , please I hope we’re successful.
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Now we wait.
I would like to state I have never been informed that I cannot retire at 60,I am not rich and due to injury have had to stop working altogether. I have just become a widow so no income anymore from my husband.
Definitely not rich.
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Thank you David for this breakdown, I did listen to the live stream for the 2 days but must admit some of it was hard to grasp. I am 63 and despite having had a major stroke last year I am forced to keep working as we only have my husbands pension. I can’t continue like this and really hope that this time we get the justice we deserve.
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Thank you David. I wasn’t able to watch case live and found your summation very interesting. Thank you to all involved and for your continued, much welcome support 🙏🙏🙏
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No, I couldn’t watch it either, I was at work!
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All well and good but how long does it take to make a decision about whether to put it back to 60? they continue to make us wait for an answer.
In 5 years I will be 66 whose to say that they don’t change it again think they’re hoping we pop off before we’re old enough to get it.
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Judgement is for 1950s women only.
Everyone born in 60’s and beyond would never have known either about governments draconian changes to their pension age if it wasn’t for backto60 and waspi.
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Thank you for the hard work done getting this appeal to court. I hope the Judges realise this case is about compensating us 1050’s Women who have paid in but not received our pension as promised at 60. Not taking the Women’s pension back to 60 permanently.
Born 3/12/1954
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Thank you for your comprehensive summary.
The key points are that 25 years notice of the change WAS given and that equality cuts both ways – not just solely in women’s favour.
This change us long overdue: it should never have been the case that women, who live longer, particularly when their male peers had been through two world wars, should receive their pension earlier.
It was a nonsense, designed to capture female votes, just as The Family Allowance was too.
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Ironically originally there was no difference between retirement ages until`1940. Then men requested it dropped to 60 because male live expectancy was only three years from the date of the pension (to 68) and they wanted time with their wives. Women originally had never asked for retirement age differential.
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David. I see it that not only I have been robbed but that my husband has as well. Lots of partners keeping us women and I really hate that. The men should not be subsidising us even when they do not mind. God help the women who have to beg though!!!
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Women have not, and still do not, enjoy equality. I would be glad to have the same retirement age as men only when we have parity, equity, equality in all aspects. Failing that, I would be happy for men to retire at 60 freeing up jobs for our younger generations post Covid.
Thanks for your continued support David.
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David
I thought you had read Pat Thane’s 2006 piece which makes it clear that the greatest pressure came from the National Spinsters Association and acknowledgement of the difficulties then faced by single women working to 65.
The proceedings were shown in the entirety and wrapped up by the MOTR.Check YouTube.
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What of the spinsters movement, did they have nothing to do with this?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_White_(campaigner)
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David I have not heard of this before. Thanks for the info and a great big thanks for all you have done to keep us informed of what’s going on. I could not find any information about the appeal case until I came across your reports. Fingers crossed for a good outcome.
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the 1950 woman do not have peers as you call them who went through two world wars . most were never informed . . . . pension age should be going backwards not forward . we should be given more time to enjoy our lives and retirement not less . goverment are greedy arogant ignorant self serving bastards who have no idea of what its like to live in th real world living hand to mouth for years . . if a woman is divorced she is totally finacially disatvantaged . especially in scotland as she get nothing if there is no home to sell . . so if she bcomes ill then she has to eke out a existance on esa . not a fortune .
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Well if we were all so equal, then why were men credited automatically with NI credits if they stopped work at 60. They didnt have to sign on for this ‘perk’ and it continued up until 2018. Women were excluded from this ‘perk’. Just another example of the many ways that 1950’s born women have been discriminated against all their working lives. . Also, our case has exposed the fact that women did NOT get 25 years notice. Nobody told us, until the additional rise in years in 2011 and then they realised they hadn’t told us about the 1995 changes, but still didnt get around to telling many of us. If a private pensions company did that, the directors would all be behind bars. Hopefully there is still time to take some of these robbers to the court of public opinion.
http://www.web40571.clarahost.co.uk/statepensionage/SPA_history.htm
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I’m so pleased it got to court. Its not mentioned that we were promised pension at 60 when women like myself paid a full N I stamp. I didn’t have to pay it to start with but paid voluntarily. Yet others older who didn’t pay a full stamp nor have their husbands turned 65 got their pension at 60. WHY? Take the money back from them.
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your comment would probably have that sleazebag from the DWP ordering PIMM’S all round for him and his overpaid cronies. No we shouldn’t be taking any money from working class people. Take it from them that have more than they will spend in 60 lifetimes
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I’m afraid your comment that women who paid the small stamp didn’t have to wait till their husbands reached 65 is untrue. I paid the small stamp and I was 63 before I got any pension as it wasn’t until that point that my husband reached 65. Some of us did get a smaller pension at age 60 based on our own very small contributions made before we paid the small stamp.
Please get your facts correct. It’s not our fault the rules were changed.
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I am 62 was also and Equitable Life victim so robbed twice of my pension. I have until March 2024 to wait for my state pension I,m divorced so no husband to support me. I really welcome this court action and hope that the legal luminaries agree we,very been robbed and make it right for us all. In the meantime I,m wishing my life away until I,m 66 not good!
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Many thanks to all parties involved in our plea. We couldn’t do any of this without your legal knowledge.
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Thank you very much,for this clear and concise information.I was born in 1956,and at no point was informed of the rise in pension age,from 60 to 66! I have worked since I was just 15 yrs old,done nursing,then over 46 yrs,working in Care of the elderly and vulnerable people.I have had two knee replacement ops,and got arthritis in various places,have in the past suffered from depression,had five falls,the last one resulting;(6 weeks ago)in a dislocated shoulder! However I continue to work,out of necessity,and the sheer love of it.I consider it an absolute disgrace,to all those women like me,that the government have so far got away with this,and am 100% behind everyone who is campaigning.I will not let this matter rest as I’m sure there are numerous other women like me!!!Gillian Harris
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David
Thankyou for this concise summary. We attempted to keep track on the hearing as it was taking place but struggled to keep up. Well done to all involved. Whatever the outcome it will be something we can build on going forward. It’s the first time in a while my wife has felt so positive reading an article on this subject.
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Wonderful synopsis of the proceedings thank you so much !! as a group Backto60 has shown that the women of the 50s will not accept anything other than full redress of this most dreadful catalogue of discrimination
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Thank you for your clarity on the Back to 60 legal appeal.3.8m 2950’s women who deserve justice.Certainly 2days marked in history by streaming it live giving women and others the chance to listen and now pray truth will out.
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1950’s women
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Thank you for the clarity. I watched much of the case and struggled to understand some of it. Although I’m still worried that Lady Justice Dame Viven Rose talked at one point about the ‘class’ of people who are likely to commit crimes (when they were discussing the necessity of notification; the point being made was that people aren’t notified personally about every change to criminal law) This seems desperately inaccurate and sweeping to assume that only a certain class of person commits crime! It made me wonder about their understanding of real life for so many of us.
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her parallel thought is not a good one . what has no notification of criminal law got to do with lack of notification of pension age . i rest my case .
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I was not of the change in pension age from 60 to 66 for myself, for someone who had paid national insurance and tax for all of my 42 years at work I feel that we should be compensated in either our pensions when we are entitled or revert the pensionable age back to 60 and compensate those that have missed out, I am sure that in today’s climate we should be encouraging the younger generation to work.
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Thank you for this very clear report of the two day Court Case. Really appreciate all the support you have given to us ‘Back to 60 Ladies’. Trusting for a good outcome. Rosemary Crawford N. Ireland.
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Well, what can I say? Thank you to everyone for fighting this battle and you,David, for caring enough to explain what is happening. I listened for a couple of hours but gave up in the end. ..now the wait, again. I have spent the last few years of my life waiting for this injustice to be acknowledged and righted. I will be 66 in January but have been unable to work for the last year due to ill-health. My savings have disappeared so much, when I do finally retire my small “nest egg” will be gone and I will not have the retirement I planned and saved for. So very very unfair. There was no help for us during the pandemic but money was thrown at others. I do not begrudge them, I just want to be treated fairly myself. No fairness from starting work at 16 when men were promoted above women, unable to join work pension scheme and had to promise not to get pregnant. Unbelievable but true. I am tired, tired of struggling and tired of waiting. Please please let justice prevail.
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Brilliant battle journey for us 50’s born women; well done to everyone involved in the campaign to date, and thank you all for your endless perseverance.
David thank you for travelling this bumpy road with us all and for your clear, comprehensive and transparent reporting, where would we have been without you?!
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I was never informed of the changes to our pensions I feel really let down I’ve worked hard since I was 16 yrs of age I think its disgraceful and let down
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Thank you David for that clear explanation of how the review was held. I have never received any notification from the DWP and 50s born women have been shamefully treated.
Elizabeth aged 65
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Re:. The lack of notification issue
In 2005 I received a letter from the DWP, it began with these words !!!
Have you thought how much Ch pension you might receive ?, as women as often get less than ma due to caring duties. It then gave a pension forecast.
MY POINT is:
They acknowledged the fact women receive less pension than men and gave the reasons.
Also and more importantly although it gave a pension forecast, it did not give the new SPA or any SPA for that matter.
The date is relevant too as the DWP knew then that a vast majority of women had no idea of any change to their SPA of 60.through surveys carried out by themselves, which were slewed anyway.
I still have this letter and I guess so do many other women.
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Yes I have that letter too. Unfortunately it also contained a guide which told us that the SPA was changing. Might they be able to use this against us?
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Thank you all.Hope something good comes out of this.l am one of the 1954 women.l try to follow the debate.And it is sad how some people have been left though this.Take care and keep safe.
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And they had the database to send us letters by then so why omit the pension age if they wanted us to know about it.
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Wow.. Thank you david.
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Wow.. Thank you david this makes everything so much clearer!
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On Fri, 24 Jul 2020 at 13:56, Westminster Confidential wrote:
> davidhencke posted: ” The Master of the Rolls, Sir Terence Etherton Pic > credit Wikipedia Judges are inscrutable. Like wise old owls you can never > be sure what they are thinking. This week’s two day hearing of the Court of > Appeal into the rejected judicial review on behalf ” >
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Thank you David for your continued support and your detective journalism , hi lighting our Injustice, I was lucky enough to meet you in 2018 in Hyde Park and followed and shared your posts. I was surprised to learn the we paid higher NI contributions to be able to retire at 60 to cover the 5 years for men retiring at 65 after women’s SPA was raised from 55 to 60 years of age, no one ever brings this up , so it must be a little know fact !
Thank you again David
Kind regards Cherie Foster
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As I see it I had notification that I would get my pension at age 62 which I was disappointed about as thought it would be 60 but accepted it but never had any official notification it was raised to 66 .. I got divorced at 51 and I getting my pension at 60 was taken into account in my financial settlement . Still can’t believe that the government thought they could do this to us . Has made a huge financial difference to single women . We should have been warned so we could have been more prepared .
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Thank goodness for your simplification. It was like crossing a minefield and absolutely exhausting to watch. You all worked so very hard, for and against, to correct a grave injustice to 50,s women and even if god forbid we get no compensation I for one will never forget all of your hard work and was proud to have played a tiny part in this historical wrongdoing. Thank you seems such a small show of gratitude but its all I have to offer. With deepest gratitude.
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This does effect my mother, although she is totally oblivious to any of this as she is an idiot. Finally got her pension this year at 66…but ended up worse off again as she lost other benefits as a ‘carer’. Perverse, broken system that isn’t even administered correctly or lawfully.
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I did listen to most of the 2 days proceedings but your summary makes more sense and I feel more optimistic now. Thank you so much:)
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Excellent and the question to be asked who where the culprits name names and the £270 billion ni contributions went ? Flatlining covid 19 deaths and future death’s from.pandemic
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Well done to all involved in bringthis to court again, so thankful that there is a bit of light at the end of the tunnel, we have been robbed of the promise of finally spending time with loved ones in the last years of our, and their lives, and are being forced to work when not able to do so, I will keep my hopes up that this case is successful, and will owe a debt of gratitude to all involved.
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Thanks David I know quite few women were getting frustrated thinking MM was sitting there not getting a word in.
Some saw parts whicjh was probably confusing.
It seems even if you believe everything Eadie is saying😆But we know better.
We bought our kids up not to lie🙄
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Thank you for a better explanation and update and Thant you to all who have done there very best for all us woman fingers crossed we will get a good out come x
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@David Hencke
i think you might have had trouble with your own internet connection. I watched both days and saw the ending where the Master of the Rolls summed it all up and said we’d hear in due course. You might want to check the videos that BT60 have provided as it’s on there too.
I’m afraid I wasn’t very hopeful after watching the 2 days. Lots of questions to our team that we seemed to be on the wrong tack. One of the Judges looked quite exasperated at times and even through his folders back when our team was talking.
I hope I’m wrong but it didn’t look good for us.
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Thank you David. Everyone, even the PM and Ministers know 1950’s women have been ‘stitched up’, the question is whether the stitching up is airtight or not. Lets hope the justices can see a way to judge in our favour. As the PM said “this has gone on too long”.
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The last part of the appeal was live streamed. I watched it.
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When I tried to get back it said it was still off line. I am puzzled.
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I think the after lunch session was delayed because Mike Mansfield has problems with his camera. Henrietta Hill continued for the appellants while MM’s IT issue was sorted. There were a few hiccups but the afternoon session on Day 2 was streamed live up to and including the final remarks of the Master of the Rolls,
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We can live in hope that 50s woman can see some light at the end of the tunnel.We can only hope these judge’s give us fair judgement .
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Very informative David, your right about listening to the tall tales from dwp, as usuall trying to cover there mistakes but won’t get away so easily this time!! Fingers xd anyway!!. Backto60 & Legal team have/are worked hard for us women, & we appreciate the input from yourself & other professionals who are along side us in our fight for justice.
Thank you all. X
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David – thank you for excellent summary – I watched most of it (having seen a TV programme about the Court of Appeal here in Scotland it seemed to follow the route of challenging the ‘court below’.
‘Our people’ were well prepared, very measured and also very clear on the impact of this decision, to me Sir James Eadie seemed at one point to compare ’50s women cohort’ to criminals (who had not been obliged to be informed of changes to criminal law) – why should they! that was picked up by one of the Judges and is demeaning to genuine tax and NI payers.
Overall I felt the Judges were seeming to me to be more inclined to ‘caw canny and not to overthrow the judgement of the previous hearing, but your wise words (as always) encouraged me to keep the hope alive!
Thanks again for all your support and to our wonderful legal team
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Delighted they are looking into this injustice but remember that the longer they take to come to a conclusion the longer these women suffer
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Thank you so much for explaining a very complex case and hearing in a few paragraphs.
Made it a lot easier for me and I’m sure many others to understand 👏👏👏
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Brilliant, I feel not only women but the general population can only Benefit from the actions taken today. It’s time we to stand together, look after each other and unite as the uk 🇬🇧 try to undermine the working class daily.
I take my hat off to backto60.
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Thankfully you took all information on board I only wish I had waited for you to explain all bullet points which make sense and not try to understand by watching the case live .thank you David for all your hard work regarding the back to 60 campaign.
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Cannot thank the entire team enough for all the superb efforts on our behalf. 🙌💖🙌
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I am most confused , the name of the group is back to 60 but now it isn’t about pensions back to 60 it’s compensation . How does that differ from WASPI please?
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Yes BackTo60 is a big targeted campaign aiming to get those 3.8m women born between April 1950 and April 6 1960 compensation for lost pensions caused by the rising of the pension age from 60 to 66. WASPI is not clear on what it wants – I tried to get a definition as a journalist of what they want but couldn’t get a specific reply. It is not full restitution, it seems to be some sort of bridging pension and it is more complicated because there are breakaway Waspi Groups and Waspi Scotland that do want full restitution.
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Thank you David
My understanding of WASPI was they didn’t seak a pension from age 60 but rather a bridging loan from 60 to the same end.
You are saying Back to 60 want restitution /compensation ( presumably so as to be the same £ as if the pension acts of 1995 & 2011 hadn’t occurred) and not a pension from 60.
Is that correct please?
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yes that is right as I understand it
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David I’m afraid that is just not true and I don’t understand why you keep trying to create divisions. I’m a member of Waspi Scotland and we’re linked to Waspi Campaign 2018 nationally. We have always been very clear, and I include Waspi Ltd in that as well, that we want to have a Bridging Pension from age 60 to our new SPA with recompense for anyone who has already reached SPA.
Here’s our web page – https://waspiscotland.uk/
We may have different “asks” but we all work towards getting justice. This blocking by BT60 does no-one any favours at all and it really is time that this animosity stopped.
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My wife who died last year was so upset by not receiving the pension that she should have received at 60 years of age.
Evelyn missed out on just under 5 years of pension
& I hope her estate will be credited with pensions payments that were withheld from her.
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Really sad to hear this. What will happen will depend on negotiations if BackTo60 win – at the moment they don’t pay any pension after death.
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This is fantastic,sounds promising either way.Thank god we have proffesional people who can root out the weasel words of Gov representation.
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I just hope we get a good result. I too have listened to the judicial review and the DWP QC repeating points of law which was a big joke. The fact that we are suppose to be better off than women born after 1960’s and more affluent I’d like to know ware his knowledge comes from these people don’t live in the real world. We’ve been in a pandemic for months women all over the country have worked and paid there NI some really desperate some are just getting by others are managing with help we deserve better. I wish that we get justice as soon as possible.
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Thank you David this has made interesting reading. I wonder how good a grip james Eady had on the case if he thought we wanted the pension age moved back to sixty, the 2011 timeline issue and also why we did not protest in 1995/96.
Your tweets throughout were excellent and helped us keep up with what was happening on the screen as occasionally I kept losing the thread of the argument.
Michael Mansfield and his team were excellent and I thought his summing up inspiring.
Thank you and everyone at Bt60, including our legal team, everyone went above and beyond.
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Thank you David for yourtime and expertise in summerising the case for us 50s ladies
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I hope that the judicial review acknowledges that the women affected were not mind readers they got no notice of the changes and some only found out by chance. Now to be forced to work on is not a wealth issue but instead taking away their plans for the future.
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Thankyou david and the rest of back to 60 team..
I was never notified about the pension age change.
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Thank you David for all you have done for us ladies..If the Case had been about inequality , sex and age discrimination then we would have been in for a chance . I never knew until just before April 2016 that there was to be a New Higher Rate Pension of approx £175 a week if your retirement date fell after April 6th 2016 and only needing 10 years Contributions ..Unfortunately for me and other ladies born in 1952 our retirement date was before April 6th 2016 so we were put on the Lower Pension rate of £135 a week, if we had 30 + years Insurance Premiums …
But then I discovered that Men born before 1953 would be on the Higher Rate ..So a Man born in 1952 is now approx £40 a week better off than a Woman of the same age .This to me is blatant sex ,age discrimination and inequality towards all 1950s born Women
I shall try and remain optimistic after reading your detailed explanation
Thank you so much
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I’ve made a couple of comments here but I’ll just make one final remark.
This is an important case as it concerns major changes to the law. I’m very pleased it was available to view and that we can be sure justice was indeed done.
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Well rounded report David – big thank you once again.
Yes I was upset about arcane case law – but we have no Constitution in Britain so it is what it is.
What got me jumping in my seat was Eadie pedalling LE out id date data unchallenged, little about autocredits and the reality of life up to 72 months pensionless. It’s not rocket science.
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Well done to all Involved, fingers crossed for right and proper result.
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Like many women, my (amicable) divorce settlement assumed I would get the state pension at 60. That’s not something we can revisit to re-calculate.
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I am 65 and it is killing me working..driving for a carparts deliveries. Let the youngster have the jobs. I have been working since i was 14. And now i am very tired.
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Thought the school leaving age was 16 from 1965
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1969 I left at 15 this was London area
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Thank you so much David for such a clear and concise report on the court case, as well as everything else you’ve done to help our case. I watched the court proceedings on both days, following the dialog as best I could, but your blog now has made it all very clear. I’m one of those ladies born in 1957, still having to work full time. I’d love to even be able to work part time, but unable to afford to and work therefore gets the best of me and I’m fit for little else once I get home at the end of the day. Being treated as we have, robbing us of all that money is disgraceful. All we can do now is hope and pray that we do get justice and thank you from the bottom of my heart to each and everyone involved in getting even to this point in time. So many said we don’t stand a chance even to get this far. Full restitution, nothing else is rightly ours. Let’s hope justice will prevail.
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Thank you David for your absolute commitment to our cause and for your run down of the appeal over those 2 days which kept me in the picture. I worry whether they actually get it! It’s so obvious to me that back in 1995 there was sex discrimination and that the decision to take the money from women and only women was without any doubt, discriminatory so I don’t understand how the JR last year reached the conclusion they did. It’s like telling the emperor he looked grand in his new clothes when he was naked. They have kidded themselves to the point they actually believe what they are saying is true. How did a group of intelligent, highly qualified civil servants, reach a conclusion that it wasn’t discrimination. How did they get to the conclusion that women whose lives were going to be impacted upon so greatly, didn’t have the right to be informed. How can those we place in high authority judge that that was ok? It is beyond me that a play on words can actually turn the law against the truth and that’s what happened at the JR. Anyone with an ounce of sense can see that without any consultation , without any consideration of the impact it would have on women, the government decided to take our money. I hope against all hope that the law doesn’t let us down, that there is an element of the truth which will get is the right outcome. The Emperor is naked. Don’t kid yourself. He is not wearing any clothes. Say what you will but you know as well as I do that the Emperor is naked.
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Well I just hope that they see that this money has been taken from us, and that is stealing whichever way you put it, so what would they do with a thief? I’m an honest hard working woman and have worked like a lot of women since I was 15 I am now 67 just finished work before lockdown, no SP at 60 then told 62 then no pension at 62 told you’ll have your SP At 64 which I did receive, but no time to save for retirement, I was robbed like all the ladies concerned, surely they gave to go something for us, when Philip Green stole his employees pension he was made to pay it back what’s the difference I say. I pray it goes our way do that people if our way can retire, so that it makes way for the youngsters.
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Excellent 2 days in court which with the right team of professionals explained precisely how women born in 50s did not receive notification of such changes. Throughout my working l was retiring at 60 it was 4 years before this age rumours spread of the changes it was inconceivable this was happening. How could the government quietly move the goal posts and expect 3.8 million women accept such a huge amount to money disappear from our state pensions. I had to sell my property due to ill health to carry on living.
Thank you for all the support given to help our fight and our voices will be heard.
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Another very well presented report David. Thank you so much for all the work you continue to do to support the ladies from this particularly disadvantaged group. I was born 24 July 1958 (birthday today) and should have been now receiving 2 years of pension, instead of having to wait another 4 years (6 years extra in total). I cannot thank you enough for the in depth research that you do which provides us with such informative updates. I managed to listen to most of the case over the 2 days, but your summary highlights and explains the important points concisely.
Thank you so much to Joanne for keeping Backto60 such high profile (despite us not getting nearly enough press and media coverage). The legal team led by Mr Mansfield, as always was superb. We can only hope and wait for a favourable outcome.
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Many thanks David for sharing your fountain of knowledge and for helping us throughout this awful injustice.
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Thank You David, Michael Mansfield and All Back to 60 Team. I sat and watched the whole of the two days hearing and found it very hard to understand, I felt those fighting our case made a much better job of it than Mr Eadie did for the DWP. I feel sick in my stomach that we have another long wait, but appreciate it more after watching proceedings this time. The amount of notes written down will involve a lot of research to help with a decision, I just hope we don’t lose any more ladies to COVID-19 before justice is done, too many have passed without receiving justice and it is just so unfair. I pray with all my heart that this time the right decision is made we have all suffered for long enough.
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Thank you David, as many have said, you have allayed my fears too. I tried to listen, here in Australia, but was dismayed by what seemed to be lack of preparation and waffling. I’m glad you heard it differently and that we did get the new points across. I now have my pension but of course living here means it is frozen so I have had a double whammy! If you want a new project we frozen pensioners are waiting.👍
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Never ever give up . Power to all woman .we will win the battle !
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I would firstly like to thank all those who have highlighted this dreadful case of injustice. So many of us 1950’s ladies have faced hardships beyond our comprehension. Personally, I have waited over four years for a pension,and still have two years to go ! I have been advised to use a food bank , I have been to the lowest depths of despair, but I’ve survived,thus far… our generation have never experienced equality, we have been an easy target for the government to‘shoot’. Six years of waiting for a pension is not fair,or equal ! Life for us is an ongoing struggle, many of our fathers fought for a better world in World War Two, my father was one of the D Day lads, he would be outraged to know his 64 year old daughter is struggling . I had no notice of the changes, no time to plan . I left school,and started work at 15 , for £5.00 a week ! Always paid less than a man, never questioned it , never claimed any benefits, never expected to have to wait an extra 6 years for a pension !
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Thank you for all the hard work you have put into this.
Why has nothing been televised.
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Brilliant work,David. Thank you so much for explaining in our language the legalese gobblydegook. If there is any justice, we will win. The DWP don’t have plausible answers. They know they didn’t inform us. Cridland report says 10 years notice for 1 year’s change, so we should have had 60 years notice. We were lucky if we got 2 yrs. Time is not on our side, so hope they get on with it.
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Thankyou for All your dedication to Back to 60
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Thanks for all of the work to get so far -well done!
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I am grateful that our voices have been heard at last..that women who are suffering financially, mentally,and physically are being heard, I am also appalled at the lack of media coverage of our suffering. We wil have to fight on through this inequality.We cannot afford to stop. Well done to all the ladies who have contributed however small.
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Well done to all the ladies who have continued and support this campaign.
Your enthusiasm and dedication to the cause has been immense.
As l am still working and recovering from covid l was unable to join supporters in London.
I am a 1955 lady who has worked as a nurse. Had two children took a break to care for them. Went back part time and NHS Superannuation did not allow you then to subscribe when you were part time. Creche facilities and support financially to have your children cared for was not around in those days. I could never have earned a pension like my husband. There were massive inequalities in those years. I cannot remember even receiving a letter to tell me of the new retirement plans.
No time to prepare.
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This is very informative. Thank you!
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Thankyou so much David for your massive expertise and concerned input to the struggle to redress the 1950’s born women Pension Injustice .Your support and professional coverage is invaluable.
A positive outcome of Appeal being acknowledgement of the Injustice what do you think should be campaigners next steps ?
Kind regards
Carol 1956 Wirral .Ch432hh
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Thank you so much for listening the case highlights how we women born in the 50,s feel with no warning written or other media information discriminated disadvantaged and dejected by the DWP.
When this ruling was made for most of us we were working and bringing up families whom are now paying into the system too
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I’d be happy if the retirement age just reverted back to 60 ! Everyone over that take effect immediately
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Thank you for the information,very helpful.
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Fingers crossed for a fair outcome
Like others, I was not allowed to join pension scheme when I worked part time. When I found out I could join, I did. Then the European Court ruled it had been discriminatory. I looked into paying my share of the missing years contributions to find that I should have done that within 6 months of the EU ruling!
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I never recieved any letters born in 1956.i was told by a friend who got her pension a week before it changed. I was devastated as had taken early retirement based on getting my pension at aged 60
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Hi, I was born in 1956 so I hope the outcome is positive. I have just decided to retire from my school cleaning job after 24 years even though my state pension is 18 months away mainly because of COVID 19 and me and my husbands ages, he is 10 years older. Will be hard to cope financially but too scary to risk when all kids go back in September. Good luck, Shirley Ward
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Very helpful – thank you. I was born in 1956, and am now in my 42nd year of working in Education. I did not receive a letter as far as I can remember and was planning to retire at 60. Sadly I cannot do this so will have to carry on working for another 3 years as finances won’t allow. Let’s hope I am well and fit enough to enjoy a long retirement when It comes. I appreciate all the work of the Waspi campaign and look forward to hearing the decisions from the judicial review.
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Thankyou for this concise summary of the two day hearing.
Unless the Dwp can prove that all 3.8 million women were given and received adequate notice of the changes in pensionable age then I don’t see how the appeal can be lost.
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As l am one of these women and working still as a nurse at 65 ,66 in September this year l had to ignore the shielding letter l received in the pandemic and continue working in an acute setting as l don’t receive my state pension til September. This is what the government has done to me l am disgusted and exhausted at this point. I hope this injustice is recognised soon and rectified.
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Thank you for explaining so clearly. Thank you to the backto60 team. I was born in 1956 and like many of the women have worked since I was 15 and still working. Hopefully we will get a positive outcome for all of us.
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I was born in 1958 and was looking forward to retirement in 2018. I am now 62 and have another 4 years to wait. I retired on I’ll health 7 years ago and have struggled on my own private pension. I lost my husband 10 years ago and got my widows pension for one year and then it stopped. I feel let down and don’t remember the government writing to me. I am very grateful to back to 60 and David for taking this on.
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Thank you so much David for your post, it is much appreciated and your comments welcomed.
I look forward to hearing your future updates and those of your colleagues, thank you too for all your admiral work fighting for so many woman and giving us a voice, it is long overdue.
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Yes day 2 of proceedings was likend. to a ping pong match.Stop start but none the less interesting format. What I derived from it all was this CEDAW law needs to be inline with domestic law.I was annoyed when the slight pompous remark as to why it Not challenged when first passed …obviously it did not effect men it favoured them.!The dates where also out of kilter. Oh well onwards and upwards with our Waspi plight. I am a widow from 2012 that is just another example of a change in by D.W.P as to what pension a widow could inherit from her late husbands pension he passed before he was able
To draw on it .
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Back to 60isnt about changing the retirement age,it’s about giving us our already paid NI contrabutions that we have paid into for our pensions at 60 ,not 66 for some of us ,it’s our money being taken away from us ,and being prepared for the change
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I hope the law is with us , we just want it to be fair
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Fantastic effort by all who persisted and got our case to this point. Let’s hope justice is correctly served and not shamed in the judgement. From David’s summing up of the proceedings re the attitude of the judges we can be hopeful that it will be a fair one.
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Fantastic i can understand this better as I listened to the court proceedings for the whole two days and didn’t really understand what was going on but you have put this piece in layman’s terms and I now can see what was being said thank you for your support i am 65years old and still working as a cleaner full time and would love to see us ladies get what we have worked all our lives for justice and to get our money back that we have been so cruelly robbed of thank you
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Thank you for this update, I hope it goes in our favour ,absolutely brilliant it’s got this far,I am 65 and i am still employed as i could not retire at 60 and not have an income ,people should be able to retire and live comfortably ,our pension is essential despite being a pittance and make way for younger generation ,i feel betrayed by our government not to have dealt with this issue earlier ,but everything crossed I hope we win ,the last government did not inform us of the changes early enough and a lot of women don’t have private pensions or enough savings to keep their heads above water ,thank you to the Waspi group you have been amazing
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Thank you so much for your (very clear) summary. This situation and the ensuing fight had been very frustrating for us. I took early retirement/redundancy to care for my elderly parents, believing I could manage financially for five years, until I got my pension. I had worked full time for 37 years and continued to work part time, with no breaks for maternity or other reasons. To find out later, that I would have to wait another 6yrs was devastating to me. I had to sell my home and downsize to rental accommodation. I am so thankful that someone is helping us to fight this gross injustice.
Thank you.
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I’m a bloke – but I’ve always believed this pension change for women born in the 1950s to be unfair, unjust, wicked and immoral!
If there is any justice remaining in this land, then these women will end up either with their pensions fully restored or, at the very least, with significant compensation for both the financial loss and the anxiety caused by this appalling damaging change.
Mike Hudson
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This has given me hope!
Something I have not had since reaching 60 and not knowing I was about to find out from a collegue that I would have to work another 6yrs…I was more than devastated my longed for retirement,being with my grandchildren , feeling the stress of my job (social services and NHS begin to leave me ….none of this happened……I have been robbed of my life savings pension as this is my only income.To think how hard I worked,reared a family, and looked after my husband and home .
My dreams shattered by those I trusted it’s a bitter pill to swallow and I cant find my happy place anymore.
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Hopefully an outcome that the ladies have worked hard to achieve becomes a reality and the judges see sense being able to enjoy retirement at 60 would have been great as working constant nights in the nhs takes its toll adding 10 years to life it would be like retiring at 76
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Thank you to everyone who has advocated on our behalf to right this dreadful injustice. There are not enough words to tell you how comforting it is to have that support and to know you care about what has happened to us. Like so many other women I too started work at age 15. I was paid £5 per week and my take home pay was £4.52 as 48p went to NI which pays for state pension. Having worked all my life and still working, I never thought that I would still be working beyond
age 60. But I am and like so many others, struggling to keep going. As a single woman I have only myself to rely on and it’s very difficult trying to keep my head above water and to remain relevant in a demanding and stressful environment who takes no prisoners. I like others am working to survive and utilise every piece of energy just to be able to get to work. I also help to care for my elderly mother which a lot of 50s women do and never have any time to myself. I know I am of the lucky ones when I hear what others endure. I pray that we receive what was taken from us soon before it’s too late for a lot of us
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Well done at least it’s been highlighted,I for one cant wait to stop working as do many many others my age, I’m 62 got to work til I’m 67 it’s a disgrace, all those young people needing to work and the oldies have most of the employment, scruples comes to mind.
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Just to add insult to injury DWP reduced my widows pension at 60 !
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Thank you for this interesting information let’s keep our fingers crossed that the outcome is positive
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Thankyou David for another great report and making it easier to understand I listened in to both days but sometimes got a bit lost with it.the DWP will try and wangle their way out of this every which way they can. if they are so hell bent on claiming that men not women were discriminated against then why didn’t they reduce the mens age to 60 in line with the womens now thats equality. Making Women work 6yrs longer is NOT! and not having the funds to pay us our pensions is just an excuse when we have paid in for over 4 decades where has this money gone?? we did everything that was asked of us just to have it taken away. I hope the Judges take our case very seriously and deliver a favourable outcome for us all. Many thanks once again David and The Legal team for all your hard work and time.
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Totally agree.
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Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard on this, it is really appreciated by those of us affected. I do feel niw that the point has been made that there is a case to answer.
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Give us what you owe us what we planned to do retire at 60!! I had advice i saved for that day to have it taken away cost me my dreams of moving my sreams of doing what i wanted to do and enjoy it as ipposed to sie before ..i worked in Sales and saw 4 of myv5 manangers die 3 men 1 a woman
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Born 1954, never had a letter regarding the change, and even my private pension with the company I worked for took £100 from it when I reached State Pension age, what a joke had to wait a further 3 yrs for the Pension to finally come through.
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Thanks to all of you that are challenging this law. I was born in July 1953 so missed years of pension benefits by being 3 months over the cut off point. I feel the change should have been more gradual to reduce the loss. My husband died in 2015 at the age of 66. Having worked all our lives I feel we were both robbed of our state pensions given I was only entitled to 1 year Bereavement benefit.
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I put my faith in you all that you will do your very best for us to get justice. I am 61 worked 34 years and now having to do a job that has put me in a vulnerable situation. I contracting COVID and was very poorly this year as I am a care worker . At my age I am still vulnerable.I have worked 34 years expecting to retire last year.let the young ones be given a chance we have done our share.
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Working in a children’s day nursery is a very exhausting job at 62 years of age and I am expected to carry on till I am 66 years ,young people need jobs if I had retired at 60 then our young apprentice could have taken my job but no we had to let her go as we had no vacancy’s
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Thanks to all of you amazing people for all the hard work you have put into this court case and appeal, i hope with all my heart that justice prevails and we are all paid the pension we are entitled to, i’m a 1957 girl and would dearly like to retire and not have to worry about how i will manage financially.
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Well said Teresa, without these peoples help we would be no one. To think that no TV or media has covered this is disgraceful considering so many women are affected by this. A great big cover up. Here’s hoping we get a good result.
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I was born in 1957, now at 63 I am being made redundant at the end of Sept. I started work at 15 and have not stopped since. My partner died 15years ago leaving me a small pension, which I will have to live on until I am 66. Life will be very difficult. I will look for work but feel my age will go against me. Thank you David and the Back to 60s group for all your hard work much appreciated.
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I thank Back to 60/WASPI and all that have really helped us 1954 ladies to get this far …… I was ‘furious’ steam coming out of my ears when I read that we give so much money away in Foreign Aid, whilst I can appreciate ‘some’ – help others of course, but surely we need to look at our own countries finance, with all that is going on too? Us ladies have suffered for years and long enough ………. I’m just having to pay ANOTHER year of N.I. stamp (already paid 43 yrs) to get my ‘full pension’ in September!!!!! ………….. I do hope we all get the £49,700+ back pay!!!!????
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My only reply is thank you for all your work. Your report was very informative and easy to understand. We’ll done.
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Huge thanks to everyone fighting on behalf of 50s women. What you are attempting is hugely appreciated by all of us. I was born early 50s, have always worked (apart from 3 years with second child) and am still working now as can’t afford to live on my small state pension – I don’t have any private pension – and always paid my dues.
Fingers crossed that justice will prevail.
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Dear David Hencke, I could not see the final end of the 2nd day of the appeal court.
… “Sir James persisted citing judgments which said that the case could have been held in 1995 as soon as the Pension Act was passed.”…
The women did not get a Judicial Review in 1995.
It was CESPA, later PARITY, the men’s equality group (with Tory MP as patron) who did the Judicial Review re pension age 60 for men being the equality. They lost.
Those papers are hidden for 70 years, in a university’s vaults.
The trade unions did not say anything either about the High Court Judicial review, and their papers are hidden in the same vaults, about the same case.
I cannot see how the men could have lost, as men did not get pension payment at 60, equal to women, since 1940.
Men and women the same had pension age lowered in 1925 from original 70 to 65.
Also life expectancy was expected to reverse, as Blair’s own government actuaries informed him in 2005, that pension age rise would mean people long dead before retirement.
Since 2011 the assumption of expectancy of continued living between ages 50 and 70 has ended. Women suffered a high early death rate in our 50s and 60s since 2011, worse from 2014, even worse from 2015, and continued at that high rate, til made worse by Covid19 from January 2020.
The Germans took apart council populations figures in 2018, and you could see (I lost the link when me old computer died) that the number of people in their 60s crashed by the thousands, in comparison to people in their 50s. And so even less than both aged in their 70s.
We have suffered since 2011 the highest early death rate from babes to granny since after the 2nd world (before 1948 NHS). The last time we had such a surge of early death, was the decade of the 1890s.
Basu and Stuckler in 2013 published research on world history of austerity, in their Recessions Hurts, Austerity Kills. Wherever it has been tried, the working class population plummets.
Epidemiologists calling it harvesting, aka culling.
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Thank you for this information. I retired at 55 , worked out finances to last until 60 when I would get my state pension. I received a NHS pension. I got a letter saying the sp age had risen to 61 then 63 then 66. I had to go back to work. I ended up off sick with my chronic condition and had to retire for good again in 2018. I will be 65 in September still a year to go until my state pension. All my plans came to nothing.
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I was born in 1952 and so this ruling affected me. My annoyance also is that if I did not have a works pension I would find it hard to survive on the basic state pension. I am divorced and get just over 500 p month, having worked since I was 17 yrs, with a break having my children, the new state pension is £30 to £40 . more per week. Worked till I was 62 years lost out both ways.
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Born Oct 1952 i had to wait an extra 30 months for my State pension I didnt get a letter of notification either it was only when i phoned to ask what date i could expect my pension to begin to be paid 6 months before i thought it would be i learned it would be
April/May 2015
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At last! But will we get the results we deserve!
I feel we have been forgotten, down graded and under valued just for the mere fact we are women! Always being under paid , glass ceiling to hinder our progress I could go on,
Is it possible that at last we will be recompensed !! I feel that my husband and I have been robbed of 6 years of retirement that we had planned and saved for only to have it stolen from us without a moments notice! Can’t wait to see the outcome!
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Thank you for your Explanation. It helps to understand this review. Also very grateful for reporting on it as the BBC and main tabloids have ignored us🙏
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Thanks for such a good summary of the case.
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I was born in 1954 and never received a letter informing me that the law had changed and have struggled for many years unable to work due to ill health and disabilities. Have had to survive on my workplace pension with no benefits due to this. Having to pay full rent etc. Hopefully we get some justice eventually.
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Thank you for the clarification, David. Much of what I heard seemed to have been raised previously and, whilst it was perfectly valid then, seemed to have been dismissed by the original judges.I was glad to hear the new evidence of men’s NI contributions being paid at 60 was included, as demonstartion of the inequality of the sexes. I found the case extermely difficult to follow, especially in the absence of a ‘bundle’ and a good memory of the last proceedings; that’s probably why it was a good thing Michael Mansfield and his professional team were representing us:).
By my original retirement age, I had already exceeded the NI Contibutory years requirement and with the extended SPA would have 10 extra years credited. Is this fair that I have to work an extra decade to get my pension? I am also one of those people who, having been advised to contract out of SERPS, instead of having the extra SERPS payment discounted from my elevated pension, they are now double-counting as they are planning to take the SERPS from the minimum pension so, having paid more by way of earnings and put in extra years, will now receive much less than the minimum awarded to those who paid less and had many years out of work.
For decades, I felt our government to be acting like a bunch of ‘robber barons’; so, I am truly surprised that ‘Back to 60’ was born and that this case has even got this far! Congratulations to you all.
The simple fact is: there will be no equality of the sexes until men can bear and feed children, unless the government decides to remunerate women for this great benefit to society. I thought I was just a fuddy-duddy, with old fashioned views of the world, but the lockdown has proved it was ever thus – with many women complaining their partners are just not pulling their weight when it comes to childcare and housework.
If any body’s effort deserves a win, it is all of you involved in the case for your perseverance and endurance.
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I would like to ask if nobody gets any compensation what about the ladies who have lost everything. I myself my knees went if it hadn’t been for a lovely lady at DWP I would not have known I could get disability, I would not have had no income of my own for over 3 years.Why is it not for the DWP to tell you what you can claim at least that should be made law.
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I am a 1954 model and now qualify 06/09/20, my husband is 8 days younger and qualified on the same date. However he gets his first pension payment on 18/09/20 4 days before he is 66 and I receive my first pension payment on 29/09/20 11 days after him so I’ll be 66 yrs 15 days old !!! I don’t remember receiving a letter delaying my retirement date from 60 to January 2019 and a 2nd letter from January 2019 to September 2020.
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Well done to all who have been involved with our case. Keep up the good work.
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Thank you very much David for your hard work and very detailed explanation of the proceedings .
Fingers crossed justice will prevail .
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It’s so bad. I have had cancer and have complications left because of it. And should not still have to work it’s not fair
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I am 64 yrs of age.l had a good Job working in the N.H.S..l was struck down with a terminal illness..at 60yrs of age.l have worked since l was 16yrs old when l left School .Paid my N.l..contributions all the time “Full N.I…Now We have been Robbed Good and Proper of what’s rightfully our Money??? It’s not a Benefit???
I Just sit here and Pray that theres a God above who will Help us Women!!
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I was born in 1957 and never got a letter about the pension age change, only found out when I read it in the papers and was devastated and feel cheated, I started working at 16 and have worked ever since but never earned as much as my male coworkers I paid my stamp & was to receive my pension at 60 but the government didn’t keep there side of the deal which makes me angry if I owed money to government they would take it no mater what and no waiting 6 years for it but we all have to wait 6 more years for our pension 😡
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Being someone in their 60s I had started saving in my early 40s so when faced with having to work another 6 yrs by the time I was 60 it was too late to cover another 6 yrs so being on my own my lifestyle has changed considerably and not what I planned.
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This is uplifting,to think justice can prevail is testament to our perseverance.We can only hope that fairness is victorious.
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If they lose is it all over then or can anything else be tried
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It will never be all over!
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😊 x
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Too Right David
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Thank goodness someone is actually listening
And trying to but a wrong right.
I (we) did work for what they have taken away from me (us) , it’s not like that they are giving us anything Free.
Kind Regards
Christine Lawson
17/09/1955
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SHOCKED
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Wonderful! It is ok for some to make decisions that do not impact their life negatively. I have had to seek counselling twice to help stabilize my mental health because of waiting 6 years to get my pension. One or two years would still be upsetting. Even three years, but six (6) years. Really! Bearing children weakens a woman’s body. We still soldier on because we need to.
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Born in 1955,I received one letter to say I would retire at 63 then no more correspondence.devastated I now have to work to 66 and struggling having twice had surgery on my wrist but can’t retire as I have no other income.
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Born in 1959 and have worked full time all my working life but at 61 I am feeling the strain especially working on the front line as a nurse caring for ITU patients during covid. My longest shift being 22 hours due to on call. I have worked through cholecystitis for 10 month pushing myself to support my colleagues but unable to have my operation due to restrictions with elective surgery. I need to slow down but government force us to go on instead of enjoying our older years.
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My wife was born in 1958 and we both retired in 2004. We received the married state pension until April this year, when they reduced our married state pension by £70 a week, because my wife hasn’t reached pensionable age yet. She is 62 and because of her age can’t get a job for the next 4 years. So we are one of the worst off and have to watch what we buy. We have savings which are above the amount allowed to be able to claim for benefits. We have never touched our savings, but may have to this year.
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Why have they not brought up the fact that women get less pension than men and the are talking about equal right. So there for shouldn’t women get the same level in there old age pension is that not why they raised the retirement age
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Thanks David for the further claification. I hadn’t picked up the Sir James Eadie comment on the ‘bigger picture’. There is no ‘big picture’ that is relevant – anything outside this case is irrelevant and, if the government got its calculations wrong and other events have been expensive, it has nothing to do with this judgement,. This case should be confined to determining if it is legal, honorable and fair to, unilaterally, breach a contract of decades standing without the knowledge or agreement of the other party, continue to take money under false pretences, pick on a smaller (but already widely-discriminated against and vulnerable section of society) purely on the basis of their sex and advanced age, sneak through legislation to hide what had been done and then misappropriate the £271 billion NI pot which would have paid the pensions. Women had suffered discrimination throughout their working lives in both pay and pension rights (not to mention treatment at work) and I expect the legislators just assumed they’d get away with another blow as the husbands would just support them. The covert and sneaky actions by the government demonstrates they knew they were totally wrong to behave in this fashion; they thought they’d selected a line of least resistance……. HOW WRONG THEY WERE!
If there is truly any justice in this country, we will win, have our pensions restored and be granted compensation for the unspeakable and unforgivable damage they have done to ‘Back to 60’s women’s lives………… but, given our dishonest government, I won’t be holding my breath.
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Born in 1956 I’ve never received any letter in the the increase in pension age till a few months before I was 60 when I was enquiring about claiming it, by then I had gone part time,a lot of stress in the last 4years ill health but have to carry on in a demanding job, not entitled till 2022, by then would have worked nearly 49 years have paid well over the required NI contributions but told to receive the full pension I have to be age 66, I think there should have been a bridging pension until the new pension age. Well written David Hencle.
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It was absolutely appalling the way they did this I was born 1955 and have worked all my life since I was 16 no one is saying that state pension age should not go up as we are like bing longer it’s a sign of the times but it definitely should have been staggered by 2 year intervals not by a 6 year jump
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living longer
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I just hope justice is done, I am one of these woman and found this grossly unfair. We where given no proper notice of the increase in pension age at the end of the day it is our money not the states .
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Delighted with the outcome of this review. Compensation would be lovely, but I would appreciate being able to claim my pension as from now. Having to wait another 2years is hard, as I had to give up employment as I work outside and physically I was beginning to find it difficult. Also removing women from the workforce and enabling them to retire would free up more employment for younger people during Covid.
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I finally received my state pension in march this year.born in june 1954. After nearly 6 years of waiting. When i complained to the DWP as to why i never received a letter about this. They replied . ” in all probabilities you were sent a letter”. Er no i wasnt. I wrote back and asked them ” are you calling me a liar?” . They replied again stating if i wrote back again they would ignore my letter.. charming!
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The very last readers comment stated simply: ‘living longer’
just to make it clear we are no longer able to say that as basically IT’s NOT TRUE looked figures from ONS and IFS
Money grab pure and simple
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I thoroughly agree Angela Taylor
its just another Excuse not to pay our pensions i don’t believe for 1 second that Women are living longer than men many younger women have lost their lives same as men have. the gov and past ones don’t know what equality is which is why we have been robbed like we have. Its nothing but excuses not to cough up what we have all paid in our money and I am sick of hearing about the cost to tax payers if we win. WHEN WE ARE TAX PAYERS TOO. we will only be getting or should be getting what we have paid in for decades and is RIGHTLY OURS…. our pensions.
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ONS calculator shows a woman aged 62 has a life expectancy of 87 and a man the same age 85.
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its just an estimate a calculator will never give the correct answer because there isn’t one. I stand by what I said we are not living any longer than men are. my husband and I lost both our mothers before we lost our fathers who both lived into their 90s my mother didn’t see her 80s hubbys mother went a few months after her 80th birthday i have lost aunties before uncles who were older than them and friends too. I am sure I am not the only one this has happened too. we only what we are entitled to after paying in for 4 1/2 decades in my case. Our hard earned pensions…
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Sorry perhaps i didn’t explain myself very well, I’m not trying to make an argument about women living longer than men even though it’s not in doubt.
But I think you have made my point for me in as much as PEOPLE in your family lived to what many would consider to be a ” good age” from when they were born.
But people younger than your parents, perhaps the same age as you and I are likely to live longer still. Isn’t that a good thing isn’t it?
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Why should women be penalised.for that even if it was true which it is not in a large number of cases. What are they saying, if we agree not to live beyond say 75 and stop looking after ourselves they might condescend to pay us back our pension or pay us the same as men? In that case, why not reverse the roles and let men get worn out, and down, by the housework drudgery and the hands on raising the children in a marriage or relationship? They are really scraping the barrel!
________________________________
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I am very grateful for the work that has been done – I worked from 15 years old – had time off to look after children – paid into a little works pension (but when they changed the rules in the pension – I had it out) so I am not in receipt of any other pension than my state pension – because I had time off to look after children and paid a reduced rate of national insurance stamp for 5 years – I get a reduced pension after having to work a further 3 years – but these later years don’t seem to gave been counted.
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I can’t thank these people enough for trying for us respect to you all I have worked since I was 15 my husband had a bypass and gets no money because I am still in the same job years later I contacted cov 19 but still had to go back to work even though I was clear then I still wasn’t fit I think the goverment should pay us and give our jobs to younger people I work in the frontline during the virus time we got what we deserve thank you to all who are fighting for us
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Fingers crossed we get some form of reimbursement….. 🤞
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Thanks for this update, very clear. Yes,cheated would be a good outcome.
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Thank you, I tried complaining to DWP and was obstructed by their staff so as not get letters to the Ombudsman, a deliberate and dismissive tactic. I am glad such skilled, knowledge and expertise has been able to challenge this policy and hope fully achieve a fair outcome. Thank you again for attempting to get justice.
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This is very interesting I look forward to hearing the outcome of the case. May I say I live in fear of yet another increase. It feels to me that we are paying in for longer and getting less back’ as they keep making changes to the pension. Each time you look at the projection it states depending on the law at the time. I was born in 1958.
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I was born in 1958. I met my husband when we were both in the forces. We wanted to have a family but women were not allowed to stay in the forces if they had children. I had to leave but my husband stayed in. He benefits from a pension I got nothing. So in addition to not getting any notification – we have not had a level playing field
either.
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My sister was also in the forces and exactly the same happened to her. She was born 1957. I also had to chose whether to go back part time to a lower paid job after having my daughter but not to my higher paying fulltime position. I was born 1954. Discrimination was rife then.
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Wow! shocked in one way but then I was born 1954, nothing surprised me.
Unequal in life unequal on retirement.
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I have watched over time on the fight and have supported every moment. I too am a 50’s woman and still work at 66 and plan to do so until 70 that’s thanks to my pension being delayed. We should have been enjoying life now.
God bless and good luck.
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I was born in April 1954 and did retire early at 62 without state pension and only a small pension from work. I’d worked 46 years only taking off 6 weeks after pregnancy, one child and working full time. I’ve now got my pension first expecting at 60 then received a letter which Stated it would then be at 64 years and 28 days but that date changed and I got it eventually received it when I was 65 years, 6 months and 13 days. This pension is a reduced one by nearly £3 per week because I didn’t pay National insurance stamp from 62. Talk about adding insult to injury.
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Let’s pray this goes in favour of all the women born in the1950,s and we get get justic.
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I thank you for fighting for us. I am a 1957 lady and was not aware of the changes until late on .l have worked and brought up my sons and have a part time job in a school . Life is hard l had grade 3 Breast cancer and went back to work where my foot was broken my a bike . My husband has been made Redundant spent 8 weeks in hospital over lockdown with heart infection and covid. My body is weak and l face another 3 years until pension age .This is unacceptable and l fear will be the death of me .Please please fight on .
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Thanks for the update but it doesnt actually tell the women involved anything. It’s another case of judgemental waffle that doesnt answer the point, will these women be compensated for the gross injustice of working most of their life to have their pensions withdrawn at a time when some desperately need it and have to wait a further 6 years to receive it. Have the well paid judges got no conscience. Perhaps they are so fortunate that they dont rely on their state pension. Nice for some, shame all these ladies aren’t in the same position. Come on put this gross misjustice right for the ladies involved.
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No one should have to wait so long, six years to receive their pension, it should have been phased in for example 62 years then 64 years etc not a great big wait of 6 whole years. It’s far too long a gap 6 years. Who has to wait for six years to receive anything no one. These woman never had equal rights those born in the fifties never were equal to men, not like modern women are.
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Just or unjust I am afraid doesn’t come into the argument, anybody (myself included) that was robbed of their pension with no warning has had to live with the consequences. I eventually get my pension in November after living off my Husbands state pension and savings. Hope the judges do the right thing and give me some of the pension I paid in to all my working life.
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Absolutely brilliant
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I have not only lost 6years pension my husband died 5years ago aged 61 so I was affected twice financially and have partially lived off part time work and any savings
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What about men
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Another victim the 1950 pension rise. Was on a low wage and had my pension age changed to 62 from 60 with barely any notice of these changes. Then only to hear ten months in to being 62 that my pension age was again changing and wouldn’t receive my pension until 65. Unfortunately my job had been lost just before reaching 60 and had been desperately looking for work. I am on my own so this was an awful blow to my income and financially my sister had to help, absolutely soul destroying. It is unbelievable what this government has done to us born in the fifty’s they do not understand or care, totally not living in my working class world.
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Looking fwd to a positive result
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Thank you David Hencke for posting this review, it’s very enlightening and very much appreciated by the people who have been left hanging waiting for this much needed information. Born 1952, pension date should have been 2012 but would have to wait until I was 62. Worked from the age of 15, (apparently the DWP don’t count the initial 2 years, don’t know why probably because you don’t earn enough to pay NI, my first wage was about £4/10s a week). My health was poor with various diagnosed ailments, diabetes, depression, angina, high bp, hypothyroidismas and was looking forward to my retirement. I did stop work because of illnesd and applied for benefit but was denied this because I was living with my partner, another ancient form of discrimination & penalising of women who wish to maintain some independence. This delay of my pension age caused a great deal of distress and put the brakes on everything, however modest, I wanted to do. It made my depression worse resulting in an increase in medication.
Again, many thanks for this very welcome information…
Frances Pender
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What about men
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May applaud the generous understanding and righteousness of the Master of the Rolls Sir Terence Etherton with interjection of the correct and validity of the original judicial review and thus the consequence for an Appeal. At the heart of the matter there has .not been professional communication to an individual and may I say fellow country person, of pension age increase.. The Suffragettes were asking more than just the right to vote. Every woman is a lady and no law should detract from that. My Irish grandmother said ‘honesty is the best policy’. Thank you Michael for your respect towards us ladies.
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I turned 65 in April. I work in a high secure hospital 14hour shifts have to get involved in serious incidents. And I still have to wait another year before I can retire. It’s so unfair how the government have treated us
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i have no sympathy for you- i’m well aware of what is a euphamism for 😦
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I am aged 61, an academic and lecturer and have just been made redundant from a university in the UK due to financial constraints. I was never notified personally by government about changes to my state pension age. I have five more years to wait until my state pension is paid. I am now unemployed with reduced opportunities of further employment due to a culture of age stereotyping and rising unemployment due to the current pandemic. I am yet another statistic. Thank you to everyone who maintain to raise the profile for the backto60 team and the injustice many women born in the 1950’s are experiencing.
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I really didn’t get what Jakes point and what was talking about in his comment to David Hencke’s article on the £271 billion National Insurance and to the 1959’s woman’s comment
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I’m not sure which comment you were referring to, but it was probably mostly irrelevant to this page tbf…..I’m in a completely different horrendous situation 😦
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thankyou gor such good report and told how it is,now for the wait ,hopefully good news for us
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Keep fighting for 50s Born Ladies.
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Born in 1957
Been lucky & worked full time from leaving school
& paid full stamp
I Was told I would collect a state pension at the age of 60
Have never claimed dole
Brought up a child & cared for elderly very sick parents
& still went to work
This is so unfair
WE ARE ALL KNACKERED
OUR BODY’S HAVE HAD ENOUGH
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Either way win or lose the BackTo60 campaign will be considerably enhanced by the outcome of this case – because it highlights the women’s plight and will be a force to reckon with. Going to law is much more powerful than trying to persuade MPs.
After all very few campaigners can claim to have their case examined by the Master of the Rolls and I know BackTo60 lawyers are delighted that they got an appeal on all the points they raised in the first judicial review.
This is all very well but time is running out for many of us. We need OUR money now. I never received notification of any changes. I have paid into the pension for 42 years.
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I found out from a friend.and the last 5 years and eleven months been long time coming Dragged myself to work. After being in pain most night .left 18 months before my pension was due it was hard very upsetting the way it was paid my friend who is year older then me got hers two years ago I’ve been widow the last 30 years .
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I have worked since I was 15 and only had 6 weeks of work when I had my daughter . I am now nearly 66 and only now am I getting my pension , I also still work full time never had anything from the government.
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Yes, your in a similar situation to me, got my state pension 2019 what I find disturbing is your wishing your life away waiting to get the state pension through no fault of our own.
Especially, our age group as they pushed the wait out even longer for us!!
I’m working still as well but if, they’d release the pension when we were 60 that would of freed more jobs up for the younger generation.
I’m hoping we get some sort of reimbursement but I don’t think it will anything like what they owe us.
Some of the stories are heartbreaking we are still treated like second class citizens this proves it as we’ve had to fight for this and we are still fighting. But we have to carry on for all the women who are not here anymore but lived in hope that we would get retribution.
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So many tough times for us.
I am now finally in receipt of mine after extra 5.7 but just when you think you Hv heard the most sad story you hear another.
This lady has it very hard
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I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. Your reports seem to constantly ignore the fact that a womens’ pension age of 60 and a man’s of 65 has for decades been unfairly discriminating against men. The fact that some idiotic people made that point and went to court erroneously and very stupidly thinking that the Government would equalize State pension age for men and women at 60 resulted in the Government logically, for financial reasons, equalizing pension age at 65, which would have been the expected result for anyone with any brains. The situation was widely advertised in the media over the last two decades or so and advised in letters to the last known addresses of those affected. My wife, who will soon reach the age of 65 and get her State pension, has no problem with waiting an extra 5 years for it, as compared to older women who got theirs at age 60. In fact I probably feel more much more strongly than her about the situation as she does not feel was “cheated” out of 5 years pension but I do for purely our own financial reasons. After all, who wouldn’t want an extra 5 years of State pension in the family coffers? We would love to get that money. Of course, to be fair, the Government should have equalized State pension age at 60 but that would have cost the tax payer an absolute fortune therefore nobody in their right mind would have thought that they would go down that road. I have always, for the last 50 years, ever since I learned about State pension age, thought that State pension age should be the same for men and women and that it should have been set at age 60 for both but only an idealist would ever believe that the Government would do such a thing and, you know what they say, you can’t win an argument with an idealist because they will always believe that they are right. For purely selfish financial reasons I hope that you win your case and we look forward to getting a 5 year backdated payment on my wife’s pension.
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For someone who claims to be so well informed about the rise in the pension age, I am sorry to disappoint you because your wife will not get her pension at 65. She will depending on her birth date have to wait another year before she gets anything. The government started phasing in the latest rise in pensions for both men and women in 2018 and it will completed in October.
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It your money if that did happen is your wife’s!!
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When is a judgement expected?
Thank you.
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The concensus seemed to be early October but that’s just some comments on Facebook so don’t quote me 100 percent
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Did your wife work I wonder, because if she did you will remember she earnt a fraction of what you did. Hence a lower pension. WOmen paid the price for time out for childcare. Our generation lost their full time jobs and had to go part time whilst their husbands kept theirs throughout.
There was never a level playing field.
Oh! By the way did you know that it was men who voted this in, in the first place?
You obviously think you’re all clued up🤔
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I have been following the news about how it was increased I started work at 15. Due to ill health I had to stop working in my 30’s. I won’t get my pension till may 2021. Never got told, like everyone else had to read about in the news. The men got 5 yr extra stamp paid for them and yet women had to pay their own till they can retire. I would be getting lot more money than I do on my ESA which I get at the moment.All women born in the 50’s who have been affected by it should be allowed retire before they reach 66 because they paid the extra stamp to the men getting it paid for.
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Thanks David for keeping us up to date 😍
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i just noticed something, seems every single comment i post now not just here but everywhere being blocked/ censored now…..so thought just struck, might not me the page ‘owner’s’/ mods that are doing it but some third party? would like to know for sure David 😉
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I am nit blocking your posts.
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thanks David, I believe you….you seem far more honourable than most! 😉
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I’m not blocking you
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I am 64 and work in care home! I have worked all thru covid, even tho the WHO have classed us over 60’s as vulnerable… our own Tory govt changed this to over 70’s!! I am contacted to 39 hours per week, 3 x 13 hr shifts, but due to staff shortages and Covid, I am working 5 x 13 hr shifts presently… a total of 65 hrs a week! My husband left me 4 months before my 60th birthday, he left me with horrendous debts… he forced sale of our home so my share of profit went to repay debts! I have been homeless for 10 months, sleeping where I could with friends!! I now have a wee bungalow given to me by housing association and I have no carpets or flooring! I can’t afford to buy them as I am still paying my bankruptcy!! Am tired, am depressed, but if I had my pension at 60 I coulda kept my home, paid the debts, and life would be oh so very different!!
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Just so wrong, I Hv been similar but finally made to 66.
It’s obscene both Gov’t and your ex left you in this situation.
I pray 15/9 sees you being able to remove yourself from such a risky job and that you will get your rightful pension stolen, so cruelly taken by Gov’t to clear part of The National debt.
I wish I lived your area and could help with the carpet. I too had bare floors.
Concrete with old Marley tiles (contain asbestos)
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The judiciary had ALL the time in the world to go over this case and these delayed judgments are NEVER a good sign . It not only shows the contempt of a tory government but contempt of a judiciary only to happy to see women suffer for many more years while this case has slowly gone through an arcane system of law. As court watchers for over three decades we are well aware that the law is a f*cking ass and cases like these should be held before a jury not a bunch of hand picked lackeys for the state who pay them handsomely and with large pay rises on the back of the money stolen from the peasants. This is the British establishment looking after their own wallets.
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I’m scanning the Sunday papers today ! NOTHING in about the results ??!
Sent from my iPhone
>
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It’s not until Tuesday!
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Sorry but us women had the chance to vote….and didn’t…… I’ll never vote again….
They are not living in the real world our pension is a lunch for them 😡
I wouldn’t advise anyone paying into a pension
The government can do what they want without consulting 😡
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How exactly does failing to exercise your right to vote help in any way?
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When you vote…. you elect people who decide you’re future ie passing bills to delay women pension without notice?
The majority of women did not get notification was working or busy bringing up children or couldn’t afford paying into a pension
Politicians promise everything and do nothing Just to get elected women had the power to vote them out but didn’t take it .
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I was born in 1953. I was given an extra 3 years to work!
I was never told. I’m 67 now. I suffered ill hee alto. I’ve voted Labour all my voting life. Many have not. But
It never occurred to me to stop voting!!
Even in spite of Starmer and other MPs failing to support Back to 60 people!!
What do you suggest we replace Parliament with? How exactly does it further resolution to this theft if we stop voting, exactly!?
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Dear Moira Gomes and David Hencke,
Right wing Labour has been a greater enemy of the state pension than the Tories, to all the way back to the mid 1970s.
The next victims of pension age rise, born 1960s to 1980s, are now only victims of New Labour’s Blair and Brown’s 2007 pension act, and Blair’s 2004 Finance Act that rose early works pension age from 50 to 55 in 2010.
Right wing Labour threw the election in 1983, against Labour manifesto pledge of pension age 60 men and women.
Right wing Labour threw the elections of 2017 and 2019, with latter having Jeremy Corbyn’s alone offer of £30,000 compensation to us 1950s ladies, not published in election manifesto.
But even Jeremy Corbyn betrayed us, because throughout his life as MP (first elected on 1983 manifesto) he has been saying in speeches in parliament, pension age 60 men and women. That pension policy never made it into any election manifesto of his from 2015 to 2019.
As Grey Swans I have succeeded in gaining published support from Chris Williamson (man, former Labour MP purged out of the party for being Corbynite) for pension age 60 men and women and increased living state pension money for all pensioner ages. He has gained the majority of ex Labour party members who were Corbynite. With his potential to become a political party and run in 2024 general election.
Labour party is dead and should cease, and certainly no-one over 50, man or woman, should ever vote Labour again.
Right wing Labour fought hard to continue this fatal Tory government.
This is where to join Chris Williamson’s socialist movement
https://resistfest.co.uk/join/
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Right! I can see the betrayal by various groups over the years. I consider myself a socialist. But why fight against voting? Surely we need to vote? Ensure good people worth voting for DO stand and then vote for them?! Failing to vote just allows the general malaise and keeps the worst in power!?
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Grey
Thank you for explaining it better
Well said 😍
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Whilst I accept on political party is showered in glory, it is untrue right wing Labour has been the most damaging. Just compare the years Labour has had political success! Tories in the last four decades have persisted to undermine working people. If capitalism worked, we would not be in this political quagmire! They’re too afraid to change and admit they’re wrong and to apologise.
Having said that, women’s votes have repeatedly given Tories their right to govern. So maybe we deserved to be stolen from and stamped upon? This gang are without thought nor mercy but we all allowed their success. Didn’t we?
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To be honest I’ve never voted😍
Glad I didn’t
I was right all a long 😷
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Sorry but that is such a betrayal Of country – but then some people don’t know what to do with freedom that Is so very hard won! Disappointing.
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To be honest I’ve never voted😍
Glad I didn’t
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Thank you grey for explaining more clearly
Well said 😍
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Dear Marie Pyne and Moira Gomes,
As Admin Grey Swans has succeeded in gaining published support from Chris Williamson
(man, former Labour MP purged out of the party for being Corbynite) for policies of
pension age 60 men and women
and
increased state pension money
from his socialist movement, to which most ex Labour party members have gone to join, so good chance of becoming a new socialist party.
The general election could 2024, or it could be sooner. Tory Boris will get rid of the fixed term parliament act, if he has time, as rumours say he will resign as Leader in January 2021. We wonder if Starmer will run as Tory leader lol
This will help the 1970s born children of the 1950s born ladies, who will be starting to turn 60 by then.
To that new party we need to demand that the state pension becomes a human right, with a contractual right, and called what it was named in the past, the National Insurance Retirement Pension.
For those who want to help the party come into an existence, it is free to join at
https://resistfest.co.uk/join/
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The current Parliamentary system is not fit for purpose. Its dead In the water. Without proportional representation any new parties are doomed to repeat the failures of the past.
But
With sufficient hindsight, and sincere desire for Real change, it is good to have an opportunity to vote away from the current two party broken rambling!
The populace must accept their responsibility to use their Hard-won democratic vote. fine those who do not vote, similar to Australian governance. No more 34% results. Engage the country instead of ruling by the media!!
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What a smack in the teeth for all 1950’s women Typical of the government that looks after their own – makes sure they get their massive pay rises and pensions and all the other perks but on the back of us little people who cannot get justice
I feel as though I’ve been robbed and now I know why the co I was working for fired me me (I won unfair dismissal case) as they knew I would still have to work till I was 66 and the co wants younger faces
I now work p/t at a fraction of the salary I was on but also depend on my state pension – I even took out a bank loan Never had to watch my money like I do now and constantly check my bank on my phone throughout the day GUTTED!!
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All the borrowing done just to survive. Constantly thinking how long till you get your state pension? Have I borrowed enough to last. Extra monthly payment’s? Can I afford them? Can’t manage without. This didn’t come into your calculations when you thought you’d get your state pension at 60.now instead of an enjoyable retirement your left with remaining years of worry, sleepless nights, fear and constantly watching every penny. No life only existance.
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I’m disgusted that the judge had no sympathy for us, unbelievable that they don’t have to give notice! We were the Fool’s that had to suffer privileges to the rich
Private nursing home for him !
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The delay in the outcome of this issue has had adverse affects on the majority of 50’s women mentally, emotionally and financially.
I was unemployed during Covid and was expected to survive on less than six hundred pounds a month my private pension.
I am normally a strong woman I cannot describe how dark my thoughts were my Children would be devastated if they only knew.
I was not entitled to any benefits.
Having worked all my life rearing three children on my own ( no benefits claimed)
and buying my own home, the stress and anxiety was extreme not having the income to maintain my property.
I have worked from fifteen years of age.
It is barbaric how the 50’s women have been treated.
Many women have died during the fight for Justice.
Immediate action should be taken to resolve compensation before more women pass.
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Born in1953 had my pension age changed twice by letter 1yr 6mths before my 60th then to 62nd year by another letter 10 mths before that to advise another change to 65th year telling me this would be the last change did not expect that totally messed up my finances and had to receive help from family.
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I had no letters whatsoever regarding the age change and had planned to retire in France and my state pension at 60, not 66, was factored into our financial calculations. Then Brexit hit, which has now made it impossible. My hopes and dreams of living in France pre-Brexit and those of my husband, were crushed because of the government’s decision to use our pension monies to bale out the banks.
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I never received any letters at all about my pension age change. I took a mortgage out in 2007 and my state pension at 60 was part of the calculation. Had worked as a nurse from 1974 and planning to retire in France . I had calculated I had enough savings to see me through until 60 as only a couple of years.
Came as complete shock, ruined my marriage and I ended up having to move back alone to uk to retrain at university at age 60 as a nurse to get my registration back. Cost me nearly £4000.
Still working now though I have my pension: to pay off debts acquired due to divorce and retraining and believe me after nearly 50 years of nursing it’s hard on your back and legs and mental well being .
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Similar story to me, only in your case it was worse. I should now be living a peaceful retired life in the south of France, but instead I am still working (self-employed) in the UK (as is my husband) because I haven’t yet received the state pension I should have got at 60. For those in power to say that this change has had little effect on our cohort is utter rubbish. Many are living in poverty, many are having to work when they are unfit to do so, many have had divorced settlements based upon them getting a state pension at 60 and yet others have died waiting for the pension they should have got at 60 and never did. The physical, mental, emotional and financial damage is very clear to anyone who has half a brain, but the government is hell bent on not admitting this fact, nor paying us back the £00000s we have had stolen from us.
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To whom it may concern, I waited 6 years before I could retire as I would have been financially deprived.
Therefore we need to be compensated for those 6 years , as arrears from DWP .
Thank you
Annoymas
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I had to work a further 6 years before I could get my pension which meant I worked for 49 years and I’m still working in the NHS, I didn’t get any correspondence whatsoever about the change, further more the extra NI contributions were not added to my pensions, if I had known I wouldn’t have retired and return part time I would have continued to work full time, The back to 60 isn’t about retiring at 60 it’s about we should have been informed properly via letter and a proper TV advert stating the new retiring age. We need to be compensated somehow, I don’t understand how a multimillionaire can tell ordinary workers to carry on working into their 70’s, We need compensating now many have passed, those of us still here (just) will continue to fight on their behalf.
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Hear! Hear!
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