It’s official. The Department for Work and Pensions has finally admitted after more than 25 years that they never thought of doing any impact studies on the effect of their decisions to raise the pension age from 60 to 66 for 3.8 million women.
A Freedom of Information request from a 1950s born woman seeking details of impact studies on the group of women most affected has forced the ministry to admit that there are none.
The letter says: “The Act does not oblige a public authority to create new information to answer questions; nor does it require a public authority to give advice, opinion or explanation, generate answers to questions, or create or obtain information it does not hold.
“If you ask a question, rather than requesting recorded information, we will provide you with the recorded information that best answers the question. Once we have provided the recorded information, we have met our obligations under the Act; interpreting the information provided is up to you.
“Your request makes statements and seeks to engage us in debate which you want us to
respond to. This would need new information to be created.”
No information held
It goes on : “We do not hold any recorded information of an impact assessment of the effects on women of the State Pension Age that informed the rises of 1995. However, you may find the following explanation useful. We have provided this outside our obligations under the FOI Act”.
The Department has released the White Paper that preceded the 1995 Pension Act and the impact statement the coalition government produced before implementing the 2011 Act which speeded up the rise. And guess what the ministry are right there is nothing about the impact on women before the government legislated for the change.
There is one concession – the idea of extending the auto credit of national insurance contributions to women. Men over 60 had this concession since 1983. Women would have had it once they started to raise their pension age from 60 in 2010 but of course this was never implemented and men continued to have it until 2018 when the pension age was equalised. Instead there is much concern repeated in the 2011 impact study of the effects of the change on business and occupational pensions. The 2011 impact study is more comprehensive but also concentrates on the savings the government will make.
So no wonder Sir James Eadie QC when acting for the DWP in last year’s Court of Appeal case brought by BackTo60 to seek restitution for the 3.8 million affected made it clear that pensions were not a social measure aimed to reduce poverty or inequality. The ministry never had the issue on their radar when they introduced the change in 1995. These women were not even thought important enough to require an study on how it would affect their lives.
Westminster Confidential 
Just bloody typical.
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No surprise!
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Pingback: Official: The Department of Work and Pensions has never bothered to assess the impact of raising the pension age on the 3.8 million women themselves | sdbast
Thank you as always David. Where does this leave us now?
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Thank you. What is happening now
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When Emmeline Pankhurst fought for equality for women (from C19th) over 100 years ago, she could never have conceived how we would still be unequal in 21st century. We weren’t important enough for Govt to consider the impact of these Acts. Grand theft – legalised.
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Story of our lives though isn’t it? Well, I know who I won’t be voting for in the upcoming elections!
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Because even now in 2021 most laws of all kinds are STILL made by men, think about this, even concerning women’s rights.
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Well said! It’s not rocket science to see that our pension money will be spent and put back into the economy, which politicians are hell bent on ‘saving’.
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In the past the government have said that our pensions are unaffordable, if this is the case how can they afford the £88 million they have just pledged in aid to the Ukraine, also foreign aid £14million and the upkeep of illegal migrants currently arriving in our country?
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Absolutely dumbfounded!!
Just shows what they think of us… not a lot🥲
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Typical no impact research!! It is theft at the end of the day. 6 years of pension😡
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Why does this not surprise me?? women were considered to be of such little consequence that they did not merit an impact study.
Just as it has never been mentioned that women always were paid less than men because they could retire 5 years earlier. In many cases they are still being paid less than men.
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Should not need a study, also it is starting to feel intelligence is being insulted
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It doesn’t surprise me at all that they didn’t feel it important enough to do a study as after all, we’re only women. I retire in a couple of weeks and have been working since I was 16 so in September it will be 50 years. I’ve paid full NI contributions all of my working life and I still don’t get as much as my husband, it’s only £20 a week but I still can’t understand why.
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Your husband may have as I did as a woman extra payments in order to receive more pension. Now my husband has that…I am 6.6 years without my pension and the superannuated part I paid into for higher pension has been completely ignored. My husband gets £100 a month more than I do even though we both paid the same and both paid for the superannuated pension. Men making decisions for men it would appear. Can government really afford to lose 3.8 million votes?
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David Cameron and George Osbourne are responsible for the despicable act towards the 50’s women, under the Conservative Government. George Osbourne was filmed in the Commons afterwards gloating about how much money it saved them. Shame on them for all they have put us through. They didn’t care and still don’t under Boris Johnsons leadership, just waiting for us to die, then they won’t have to pay back what they stole. Almost 40 yrs i worked, paid my tax and national insurance, sometimes working many hours of overtime. I was a nurse, but they have no respect to this very day paying nurses what they deserve, or in any other profession who have worked so hard. They will not get my vote, maybe if they do the decent thing, somehow i doubt that will be the case.
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Typical .joke I e worked since 16 now 63yrs old still working 40 hours a week .I was so ready for retirement at 60 but that’s been taken away also money I am entitled too. Another 3 years to work gained 6 years extra where the men gained 1 year how is that fair .
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Wonderful assessment David. Thank you.
Terrible outcome for all the women affected – shocking that we’re nothing, zero, invisible, passed over and furl for the furnace of fairness! But what is fair about any of this?
Great precis!
It’s an extension of today’s public outrage of violence against women. Violence takes many forms and 3.8m women have been financially raped by successive UK Governments.
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The whe thing is such a disgrace. Woman have never had equality throughout their working life and particularly the 1950s 👩 woman. In particular low paid working woman. To have the Judicial review done by very privileged high paid individuals who have no idea what we have all been through is a disgrace. And to not even have a study in to 5he effects it would make on woman is beyond a disgrace.
I met with my MP kwasi kwarteng to complain about our treatment as WASPI woman. His statement to me was that his mother ( in her 70s) still worked and loved it. She is a QC. Says it all and what a slap in the face. I have worked since I was 16 full time and brought up a child on my own. Am sure his mother didn’t do that but shows the dreadful attitude these MPs have. Tough luck was his view.
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His mother probably works part time on £silly money per hour-can’t be that stressful then.
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It’s certainly had a big impact on me .and it’s getting harder all my savings have gone .it’s been the worse time of my life I was born 1956, I constantly worry about the future
.
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I too was born in 1956 and worked 47 years ( one year off to have my Daughter ) before I had to give up work due to Thrombosis – My hubby worked all his life and died just 5 months before his retirement and the government have taken all his pension as I am not allowed to add any of it to mine when I finally get to claim it. They just stole it all from us.
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I have been affected greatly by this like a lot of women born in the fifties I have also lost my husband and you stopped widows pension how can you expect anyone who has a drop of income from £1100.00 per month to exist on a amount of £409.00 a month standard direct debits alone are approximately between £255 to £355 a month before buying food etc this is an absolute disgrace a shambles if I live to 66 I will survive but ha ing to get bail outs from family a d friends should not be happening in this day and age this situation needs to be addressed immediately some women ha e lost homes killed themselves a d if this had been addressed correctly wouldn’t be owed what they or their husbands have paid in which in reality should have transferred to their wives my husband paid in for 45yrs only received 18months and as widows pension was abolished I have had to live on savings it is an absolute disgrace people have paid in and some people out there have been paid for not working its about time this government looked after the ones who ha e helped keep this country going especially the fifties ladies and men get this situation addressed I am owed in excess of £44,000 and counting Dirk Turpin comes to mind
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I have said this from the start about the change in pension age, especially when the 50’s women’s stories started to emerge. Yes it has a lot to do with equality but it is also negligent on the part of the DWP. Anyone who has worked in a management role knows that when managing any change, an impact assessment is part of the process. To do one and ignore it is bad enough, but not to do one at all is worse! It shows a complete lack of understanding and humanity. Was anything considered, other than how much money was involved. I somehow don’t think so.
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There are no words……sold down the river, without thought of consequence. Shameful and here is the Govt today, bleating on about how they are going to “protect” women. Same as when they “through their arms around every single person” during the pandemic. Arms obviously not long enough to have reached me! Nothing surprised me anymore. Still waiting for BJ to explain where they found the magic money tree. He couldn’t find it in 2017/2018 when he was asked about 50’s women.
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And it appears we women are still not important enough for the thieving government to return what is rightfully ours; we worked damned hard for it, myself having 3 jobs and 2 children, no luxuries, just hard work, and never on benefits. Give us back OUR MONEY, NOW!!! Shame on You for keeping it and not doing the right thing in the first place, so do it Now! Theft on the grandest scale, I will add.
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Shame on all whom did this…. I had to sell my family home as did not receive my pension I had paid into, then lost my husband, so lost his pension too. This is not equality for us 50’s women, hang your head in shame for all the women who died suffering & the women alive whom are suffering at you hands now. How could you do this to us when we worked from 15/16 years old & worked hard, raised a family, slogged our guts out. Some of us are working with disabilities when we could have retired at 60 & had relative peace of mind, although it’s still very hard to live off the pension, not even a living wage.
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Omg the impact this as had on me as been horrendous. Got breast cancer at 59 and thought l was retiring at 60. Had NO letter to let me know that wasn’t the case. I’ve struggled through 5 and a quarter years. In constant pain with osteoporosis and arthritis and loads of other health issues.if you get a sick note my employers threaten me with my job so l don’t get another. Physically and mentally it’s been so so hard. Something should have been done. Most have bad health issues. 60 is the correct age to retire. Not 66, I’ve paid in since l was 15. I’ve got 9 months off this sentence to do . Then l will be loveing on one off the worse pensions in Europe . We have had it hard, it’s been horrendous!!!
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As far as I can see it’s a breach of contract that was agreed when we were 16 and started work. Time we tookthem to court again for the breach of contract
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Totally agree we entered into a contract at sixteen that we would pay our NI and get our pensions at 60.The government are in breach of contact.Why are they getting away with this.They are not above the law.
Sandra Paul.
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The whe thing is such a disgrace. Woman have never had equality throughout their working life and particularly the 1950s 👩 woman. In particular low paid working woman. To have the Judicial review done by very privileged high paid individuals who have no idea what we have all been through is a disgrace. And to not even have a study in to 5he effects it would make on woman is beyond a disgrace.
I met with my MP to complain about our treatment as WASPI woman. His statement to me was that his mother ( in her 70s) still worked and loved it. She is a QC. Says it all and what a slap in the face. I have worked since I was 16 full time and brought up a child on my own. Am sure his mother didn’t do that but shows the dreadful attitude these MPs have. Tough luck was his view.
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Well no shocks there. The government have no interest in the fifties women at all.
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but ladies the pooor wee government have had to find 2.5000000 to do up no 9 downing street for their wee meetings they cant afford us as well!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Bring it on, keep fighting back to 60. This is good news. David brilliant work as always, keep digging I see daylight at last, now they will have to sit up and acknowledge we were robbed and massive injustice was done
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As a 1957-born woman I’m livid. Also concerned that no impact assessment means the affect on job opportunities for school leavers and graduates was never considered.
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This is disgusting, now you can clearly see that the government does not rate women at all. They did not even request an investigation into the impacts of their proposals to women.
They clearly just do not care, as long as they have big fat private pensions they can retire when they like. Unfortunately the normal working class person does not earn anywhere near them so has no fat pension they can release early, they have to work until they drop.
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This is typical. Bring in changes and don’t research what these changes will impact on women. What a disgusting thing to do. Many women have had a very difficult time because of this
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Thank you David, where does it leave us, got 4 more years to work.
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That is obvious,we were alway classed as 2nd, never considered we were the ones that saved the government in , elderly care , helping young families with their child care and voluntary work . and we were also under paid, token gestures to equality pay.
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this does not surprise me at all. the government and previous ones have never cared about women thats been made obvious not doing an impact study rubs more salt in the wounds of adding 6 yrs on to our pension age giving men nic credits to retire at 60 and not giving us any as promised plus getting a lower pension when we do retire than a man also had the free bus pass taken away as well and they have the Cheek to call it Equality! as for saying they will make Women feel safer on the streets that won’t happen either women pay in from leaving school just like men do yet we are treated as though we do not exist unless they want to rob us of what is rightly ours are PENSIONS….
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Hi Janet
I have written to my local council twice regarding us not getting the bus pass and Keir Starmer twice too re us senior citizens having to wait for our pensions longer with no incentive for employers to employ us as there is with young people, so many of us having been made redundant applying for jobs we don’t get, ageism is out there, plus the fact we do not get pension credit, winter fuel allowance etc etc and we cannot afford to heat are homes and eat well too. I urged him and all in Labour Party to show some compassion towards us and help us all.
They want our votes but we are being neglected.
Regarding the free bus pass each council in England can decide wether to put money from there financial budget to provide us with our passes or not, so it’s a post code lottery. Manchester, London and other areas still do give their residents a bus pass aged 60 as do Wales .
We don’t even get concessions as some do. It’s great that students and young people get theirs but what kind of country are we living in that don’t think us seniors deserve the same ?
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Please sign and share the link
Petition: Give free bus passes to ALL in England at age 60 https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/552322
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They know not, what they do .We do though. because we have had to live through it , sadly , take care all xxxxx
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Woman!!!
Giver of life
Nurturer
Mother
Wife
Sisterhood
Birth
Companion
Comforter
Strong
Fighter
Kind
Sensitive
Hard worker
Juggler
Weak
Abused
Downtrodden
Overlooked
Dismissed as the weaker sex
Still suffering at the whim of male dominance, hypocrisy and physical and mental abuse
Demeaned
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That is so true I worked all my days only having four years off to have my three children and we have had to sell our family home because I didn’t get my pension which is not a benefit but what was due to me. They are heartless male chauvinists that only look after themselves it’s disgraceful. 😡
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Pingback: Official: The Department of Work and Pensions has never bothered to assess the impact of raising the pension age on the 3.8 million women themselves | Westminster Confidential | Tory Britain!
We were cannon fodder, not deemed important to those in charge. Women meant nothing back then or now it seems. They have and are deliberately wrecking our lives. It’s discrimination no less. Thanks for this report
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This is absolutely disgusting. I like millions of others am 65 years of age and still working in a nursing home which is slowly killing me. I go to work in pain every shift but can not afford to leave until I get my pension. I have regular steroid injections in my joints to keep me going.
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I’m 64 working in a nursing home totally sympathise with you job is killing me too.
Pain killers every day to keep me going 🤦♀️ no way will I be able to continue this job for two more years
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Will I come under this ? I’m 60 in june 2021 so I should have been able to retire, now I need to work another 6 or 7 years.
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My wife along with ten of thousands of other women were denied the pension they should have received at the age of 60 in 2014.
My wife died in 2019 before she reached the
‘ new rising pension age ‘ the state robbed her & other women & continue to drag their heels know that the longer they take to sort out this injustice more of the women will die .
I owe it to my wife & all the other women alive or dead to get the government to rectify the situation.
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Thank you David. What astounds me is this decision to increase the pension age was in 1995. The Divorce Courts were working out divorce settlements based on women receiving their UK state pension at the age of 60 as this was the age on the DWP website. That left a gap of 6 years until women could be in receipt of their pension age at age 66. It appears stakeholders were aware of this proposed age change but the legal profession were not. Women were treated as 2nd class citizens in regards to their pensions especially as throughout their working life they did not earn the same as men or have the chance to save for their retirement as they were also not informed of these changes. All successive Governments are to blame for this. In Austria, and Germany it was made compulsory in the 1980`s for everyone to have a 2nd private pension of their own. (It was subsidised by their Governments and it provided additional health care to allow people to recuperate after serious episodes of illness.) The UK hid these pension age changes from those it would most affect – Woman. This is despicable and shameful that women were not treated all through their working lives equally. Then at pensionable age they decide to bring in equality to receive their state pension age the same as men. It left many of them in financial difficulty. Women have been treated grossly unfairly by successive Governments.
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Thankyou David
It only dawned on me recently the likely reason why women were never considered as important. The people involved thought that women would have husbands who would see them right.
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The tag line of new “Line of Duty” series is
“Lies cost lives”
nowhere is it truer than in this Government’s – and all the others since 1995 – treatment of 3.8m pensionless women.
Add to that the other countless errors over womens’ pensions per se and it is a systemic and management failure of 50% of the UK population.
I really feel for you.
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Dear Martin
Please can this Westminster Confidential blog concerning FOI request to DWP for details of impact assessments on raising of SPA carried out on 3.8m #50sWomen be passed to Gail and Gill? Branch Reps & women members may also wish to know about it too?
Thanks for your help
Best wishes
Louise
On Wed, 17 Mar 2021, 18:06 Westminster Confidential, wrote:
> davidhencke posted: ” BackTo60 women outside the Royal Courts of Justice > in 2019 It’s official. The Department for Work and Pensions has finally > admitted after more than 25 years that they never thought of doing any > impact studies on the effect of their decisions to raise” >
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Although the younger women who have recently highlighted the physical danger that women have accepted as routine for millennia, the perils extend far beyond that, to our financial and emotional well-being throughout our long working lives right into our old age and retirement where we arrive worn out, sick and defeated by a system which is not inclined to recognise our needs as equal to those of men. There’s always a reason not to level the field. Always. Thanks for fighting.
Get Outlook for iOS ________________________________
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Where does that leave us now. When I was in Management you always did Assessments before implementing these people shouldn’t be allowed in these position. Most are from private Education not have a clue life in general. I’m 64 and really struggle financially looking after my elderly mother for a pittance and have Arthritis all over. Worked for 45 year disgusting. Thankyou David for the update
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Yesterday I was 62. That’s 2 Years or £18.220.80 that the government has stolen from me. Of course that money will have been put into a “new NI savings pot” to protect all our future payments, won’t it.
What’s that you say? A pink pig flying overhead? Of course they won’t save it. But what really disappoints me is the complete inaction of our Queen. One doesn’t get involved with Politics does one! Well perhaps one might rise off her throne and get involved for the sake of all the women who have worked, paid in, looked after family at both ends of the age spectrum and who have helped to hold this country together for the last 12 months.
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Helped hold this country together since they were 16. Not all could have extended learning for 4 more years to be paid more. Some had to do the menial jobs and child caring elderly relative caring. What a terrible thing to be tricked at 60 by your own government not paying what was our rightful pension which had been agreed and worked very well with those that came before us. They are thieves and rogue traders, curse on them who will not help now it is out in the open x
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Another example of attitudes from men towards, their perceived sub species, women. And we, ALLEGEDLY, live in times of equality.
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Disgraceful and the fight will continue.
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Even though I rant about this whole 50’s womens pension injustice on a daily basis I feel it’s a waste of time. It’s CLEARLY completely unfair and discriminatory against women…..the lower pay, the mainly part time work, the fact women couldn’t join a works pension AT ALL ( if working part time), the NIC paid for the millions of men and nothing AT ALL for the women, the 5years ni contributions added on to qualify for a full pension and the utterly ridiculous 6YEARS longer to wait which is ludicrous. The men only have to wait ONE year and in some cases less than that. My brother in law was 65 in May 2019 but was due his pension on Jan 20th 2020 ( only 8 months later)! Unfortunately he also died on that day! I geel that during this pandemic the government has paid out money to practically every person in this country but I have not heard one syllable mentioned about the 50’s women!! We are just forgotten. I’m pretty sure with the billions that they have paid out, now was the time to borrow the money to pay us what they stole and put this injustice right!!! Sorry for the rant but can’t stop when I get going.
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And that just says it all. Not important enough to find out how it would effect women having to work extra 6 years on their health and amount of money taken out of their pockets. Most of the women born in the 1950’s have worked since they were 15/16 in hard manual jobs so are now suffering with arthritis back problems and are the only ones who did not get enough time to build up a decent pension pot if any – I mean the poorer people so are struggling with obtaining work – obtaining Benefits , made to feel like a scroungers when they have worked hard all their lives keeping family and home together to the detriment of their own pensions. Who now have to work or starve, no wonder some of us have given up hope and just decided it was too hard and killed themselves. But I do not suppose that will bother the well off in our government as it will be more savings for them.
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Apply for PIP quick – apply for Attendance Allowance, Housing benefits anything you can! And ESA or UC. It’s dreadful stress t the end of a working life & the Govts since 1995 under Major have financially raped us and ignored instead of doing their paid work on our behalf.
They exist gor & because of us – not vie versa and we will hold them to account. I want my pension; it’s my entitlement. As it is yours.
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No surprise there then.
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sorry to say buu passed their sell by date.
1.totally absent from view for ‘her subjects’ during a year of covid!
2. Once a year message to nation
3. tears only for Windsor castle fire
and
4. retirement of royal yacht.
Not interested in you or me.
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Remember not one but two courts have sanctioned this theft.
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They are run by those who have and the have nots can curl up & die as far as they are concerned x
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Really sorry to hear this. Life can be very unfair and this decision to delay pension payments is very cruel for people.
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Booom! You bet!
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Should try working on your feet for 8.30 hours a day at the age of 65years old .can’t keep this up much longer
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So I have worked 6 extra years, paid my taxes and NI contributions for all those years longer than I expected and no one ever acknowledged the impact that would have on women. I have now retired but my health isn’t good so my retirement plans are going to have to fit in to a much shorter period while I am still able, pandemic allowing. It’s bad enough to have lost all that money but to have lost 6 healthier years is what breaks my heart. You work all your life hoping for a time when you are well enough to enjoy the early years of retirement but that was taken from us with no compensation and no thought.
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That’s how I feel as was in a lot of pain during those six years but when I eventually reached pension age I was diagnosed with early onset vascular dementia. Most will know that there is no treatment or medication for this so after working throughout my life I held on to the time I would be able to enjoy my retirement hopefully spend time with my brother & sister & grandchildren after caring for parents. Wish I had lived on benefits & been lazy as now my future is definitely not how it should have been, no longevity for me or hope to be around for too long and any monies from my house that would have been my children’s inheritance may go on care home. I am determined that I will end it so the money I paid all my life for my house will go to my beautiful children & grandchildren what hurts most is 6 yrs waiting was bad enough but the last 2 years of COVID stopped any bucket lists happening. Fate could have taken any of us (my mother died at 63) but that is a whole lot different than knowing your own Countries Government turned their backs on us, selfishly when they have always walked over bodies to make sure they have the best of the best. BETRAYAL is what it is and those who knowingly fight us 50’s ladies & our families know who they are, what goes around comes around and at some time I hope they realise what they have done against their fellow countrymen x
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Not surprised. I should of retired next year I’ve got to wait another year now because age went up again to 66.
So does this mean they going to look at it or not.
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They CLEARLY never completed an impact study, this has been obvious from the start, but where does this leave the back260 campaign? What do we do with this official clarification?
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Kevin
The admission is still an important factor in both any complaint to the Ombudsman ( Waspi campaign) or getting permission to bring the case to the Supreme Court.(back To 60). To answer the FOI civil servants would have to trawl around all documents including both public and private ones to check if an assessments was made and found none.
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Not surprised at all. Just goes to show the low regard the ministry has for women of our age! I’m furious as ate many of my peers of a similar age. What can be done now?
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More miss management of our pension. It wouldn’t be so bad if we got our over payments back in our pension but even that is stopped.
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Nothing changes, and if DWP are saying that equality between men and women does not have to be taken into account, and the courts believe this to be acceptable, then there is something wrong with our justice system, especially when the government can intervene, and add credits to men’s pensions, when they want to reduce unemployment, is wrong on so many levels
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Just shows what they think of us. Are we invisible?
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And therein lies the root of the misogyny in this land, as the norm.
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It really does not surprise me. Very underhanded the way we have been and are still being treated. An absolute disgrace
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I agree with Kathryn Elizabeth Taylor, what happens next?
What was the comment made this week about women “Pat her on the bum and tell her to go away”. Says it all
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Was it all men on the committee when they decide and And implemented the changes and what age were they?
It’s totally disgusting and unacceptable that continue to keep women in poverty even in our old age
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Thank you again for your report….unfortunately it’s as most of us have always thought, women are 2nd class citizens, still in the “chattels” box as far as those in power are concerned! Why this isn’t being dealt with as a scandal in the media also proves whose pocket they’re in. We really don’t stand much of a chance when parliament & the press stand shoulder to shoulder!!
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Deeply disappointed by the words of Women not being deemed worthy enough to warrant a study on how it would/has affected our lives. I’m five years past my official pension age if the age hasn’t been changed and still have two years to go before I receive what is in my eyes my savings. I’m speaking on behalf of all women who fall into this category we are more than worthy and we have earnt what has been stolen by the government
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I would like to get it across that this is not an issue being faced by women born in the 50s only.
Plenty of women I speak to born in the 60s (including myself) experienced exactly the same as those born in the 50s regarding work; having the main role in looking after children and not being able to access a work pension. We are now facing exactly the same predicament as women born in the 50s.
I hope we are not forgotten.
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Bring it on, keep fighting back to 60. This is good news. David brilliant work as always, keep digging I see daylight at last, now they will have to sit up and acknowledge we were robbed and massive injustice was done
We were surposed to stay at home bring the kids , then when we reach pension age were told to shut up and put up. This should have been done on incriminating year on year then it would not of hurt us so badly. Disgusting
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Us women where left destitute, and some men . It’s ok for the Labour and Tory ministers who live pretty well off . It’s shocking I worked up till I was 66 . And work from the was 12 git married looking after family while working. NI payed looked forward to retirement at 60 . But another 6 years was torture. Never even got a letter or nothing to let me know . I would never vote Labour or Tory’s they are aTraitors to the hard working Women/ men off this country. So thanks for nothing I’m sorry I worked.
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Like many of you I am 64. I have worked since I was 16, never claimed anything. My husband is very sick so, I am the only breadwinner. I have brought up my Grandson since he was 10 as well.
I only realised my Pension age had gone up to 66 when I checked what my Pension Forecast was when I was 58. No notification or anything off them. It is an absolute disgrace and they ought to hang their heads in shame for what they have done to the women of the 50’s
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This is typical for women. No fairness.
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Brilliant, surely now further action, and court hearings can be justified?
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I had a letter stating I would retire at 60, three months later I was told it would now be 63. I’ve lost three years and there was certainly not enough time for prepare for the extra three years when my partner had left me.
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Hi David,
I have just emailed my MP Anthony Mangnall to ask under an FOI if there was a risk assessment made by the DWP before the changes to Universal Credit was rolled out.
If a risk assessment was carried out in this instance – will it help the case for the 1950`s born womens legal case against the DWP in regards to changing the date when they are eligible to receive their UK State Pensions.
With kindest regards,
Diane Swindells
On Wed, 17 Mar 2021 at 18:03, Westminster Confidential wrote:
> davidhencke posted: ” BackTo60 women outside the Royal Courts of Justice > in 2019 It’s official. The Department for Work and Pensions has finally > admitted after more than 25 years that they never thought of doing any > impact studies on the effect of their decisions to raise” >
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Isn’t it amazing how the Government can borrow millions of pounds to help business, NHS, the Arts, Sport etc, etc but cannot borrow to pay us unfortunate pensioners, unlucky to be born between 1950 & 1955, what we are owed.
Am I bitter & angry? You could say that.
Will I vote conservative in the local elections?
Never.
Come on Pensioners lets show them what we really think about them not caring about us.
Vote for anyone but not them.
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penny they just paid two and a half million to do up no 9 downing street for meetings let alone the squillions they are squandering on hs2 and the 50 million for the garden bridge boris “fancied” not to mention the 17 million paid to a go between spanish playboy to meet his fashion worker mate who provided ppe that had to be binned god knows how much he got for a crap job
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This is an Absolute Disgrace!
The government have set out to disenfranchise women, rob them of their pensions with little or no notification.
This is something that a third world country like Haiti or Zimbabwe do. But now Britain following suit.
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Shocking ! Not Surprise
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So all these young people who are going to be/already are unemployed because there aren’t any jobs for them when we finally come through this pandemic claiming Universal Credit. Getting more money than most women of 60 and above would get as their State Pension.
Why not give 50s women their State Pension to free up employment for them? It’ll be cheaper for the Government and there will be longer term employment and continuity. Youngsters could be trained sooner and the jobs market would open up.
I wouldn’t be applying for jobs at the age of 62 if I had my State Pension. I’ve worked since 1975 and have had 3 years of not working when I had my 3 children, even now due to the changes in how the State Pension is worked out I am not eligible for the full State Pension unless unless I work for the next 4 years!!!!!
3.8 million women born in the 50s being able to retire when they thought they would be anyway, in the majority of cases, and costing the Government less!!!!!
No brainer for Rishi if he thinks about it………
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too obvious for his tiny brain barbara
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I do not recall being informed of the raise in pension age for women. I fully expected to retire with a pension at 60 in 2012.
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It’s never too late. Perhaps the DWP could do an ‘impact study’ now, in 2021, on the catastrophic ‘impact’ the change in state pension age has had on countless ‘fifties’ women. I’m sure it would make grim reading. I’m happy to help!!!
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Great work and perseverance David
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Absolutely disgusting behaviour by the DWP they should be hanging their heads in shame. Surely this must have an effect on Back to 60’s campaign.
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This is very sad and unfair to all women it should be addressed immediately by the goverment.how do they justify themselves it’s a real disgrace to all women as if we don’t exist they forget they themselves have mothers and daughters hope we will get our dues sooner rather then later I have paid over 45 years and still waiting thank God my husband is helping
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The final sentence says it all. Disgraceful.
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I am 1 of the many having to wait till I,m 66 to get my pension,I worked 30 +years not long after my 60th I had a heart attack, which resulted in me being off from work for quite a few months, I resumed work some time later but soon become unwell again which resulted in another heart attack,was off work for many months as I needed a procedure doing, I retired when I was 62 as I could not cope ,had depression , anxiety, etc, I had been awarded ESA prior to retiring, but after the next assessment I didn’t qualify, I was refused PIP, and I won’t claim jobseekers because I don’t feel fit enough for work, the small lump sum I had from my works pension was used for my living needs, I get £150, per month pension and my husband supports me out if his state pension ,after 30 years working, it’s pitiful, is it the fact that the DWP don’t want to lose face by admitting there were mistakes in implementing the age rise ?,because I struggle to understand how they can find the hundreds of thousands that are going to paid to all the women in receipt of their pension who have been paid the wrong rate ! ,I,m all for the retirement age being the same for men ,but how can it be justified that women born in 1956 have been forced into poverty, hardship,& and such a bleak outlook .sue
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Thank you
Does this go anywhere though?
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Men have everything financially and socially in their favor 1950 women are mostly second class citizens not paid equally and not able to have the same opportunities as men
It’s disgusting the way we have been treated
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Many thanks David for all that you do.
1950’s women are strong and determined. We are not going away. The contempt shown to us by successive Governments is shocking but not surprising.
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It does not surprise me as with all governments they do as they wish.
I am really surprised that Kier Starmer does not raise the issue Labour are normally equal rights activists. And I bet mp’s will vote themselves a rise this year above inflation. Need i say more.
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This doesn’t surprise me one bit they never or will in the future ever care one jot about women, we are still classed as 2nd class citizen
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That is very interesting something I would not have known Thank You for this interesting information
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I wonder if they are waiting for numbers to reduce to save the expenditure.
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I think we should have mass demonstrations over the whole UK , with the slogan FEMALE LIVES MATTER.
And we women thought that the witch burning era was over, in this country. Goverent legislation is just is just a witch hunt by another name.
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I agree Jacqueline , I think it will need mass gatherings across England as they do in other countries. To be arranged for a certain day, or weekend , young and old out there protesting together to gain any real attention. !
A 6/7 year wait for our pension is cruel and the eligible age to get state pension is going to rise yet again again to 70 in the future, that is a whole decade more than it used to be !!!
More people need to protest to these changes ASAP
Millions Have already been affected and millions more will be affected in the future.
The Pandemic has stopped us all rom being able to protest on the streets but soon we will be free to do so.
Thank you David for your ongoing support it is greatly appreciated.
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Women, despite what the Government state, are still not equal to men. We are still paid less and have unequal opportunities. As for the 1950’s women, many did not have access to pensions if they worked part time. It was accepted that the male was the more dominant partner in terms of status and monetary issues.
Very sad, for a huge amount of women.
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The DWP probably thought that this latest revelation was going to stay hidden forever. Clearly not understanding the term ‘freedom of information’. This now begs the question. As this information has finally come to light, what will Back to 60 do with it? We haven’t had a little gem like this come to light for a long time. I wonder what other information is still hidden, there has to be more. Back to 60 has been pretty much silent for months, although I know work hasn’t stopped, especially on CEDAW. I swear that this Government thinks that the 50’s Women are a ‘spent force’ with nowhere else to go after last Septembers defeat. I would hope to see Back to 60 contact every newspaper in the land and get this latest slap in the face to 50’s Women printed for all to read. Just to prove we haven’t gone away or ever will until justice is done.
Well done David, another great blog.
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I think the fairer way to do it is to give the state pension at 60 to all women who have paid in enough years of national insurance after all we have worked for it
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Why am I not surprised! But even so it’s hurtful to think they think so little of us 50’s women that they didn’t even consider doing an impact study on raising our pension age to 66 & beyond & what negative effects it would have on our lives. Shame on you politicians with your fat index linked whopping pensions.
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I totally agree with all that has been said. I felt sure that David Cameron said that we Women affected by the change did not have time to make up the shortfall. What happened to that statement?
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I had to retire at 60 due to ill health and mobility issues, this had a dramatic impact on me financially and mentally, once I became aware that the goal posts had been moved on women’s state pension entitlement!
At the time I was employed with a salary and free accommodation, therefore No home, No salary and No state pension!
I would deem that as a significant impact!!!!!
All of these possible issues should have been assessed by the Government prior to decision on altering the state pension age!!
D. Walker
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Not important enough!!!
I think we are important.
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DWP saying pensions not intended to relieve poverty (I’m trying hard not to say bollocks here, instead here is some evidence please tead to the end) in old age……should read this:
The history of state pensions in the UK: 1948 to 2010
Antoine Bozio, Rowena Crawford and Gemma Tetlow*
Institute for Fiscal Studies
Abstract
This Briefing Note describes state pension provision in the United Kingdom from the inception of the basic state pension in 1948, following the Beveridge Report, to Pensions Act 2007 and the plans of the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition government.
/…..The history of the UK pension system is the story of a mainly non-contributory system, periodically tempted by the higher replacement rate of social insurance schemes, but always frightened once the costs become apparent. Recent reforms have tilted the system further in the direction of a universal flat-rate benefit, abandoning any social insurance design. This confirms that the main objective of the UK state pension system is to reduce poverty at old age …..
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I can see below there are questions about what this means and take the fight further. Doesn’t surprise me at all that there Government process and arrogance take no cognisance of assessing consequences.
As a husband who has supported the campaign with my wife, I think we would need to hear some serious arguments that this new information makes any material legal difference at all. If this news demonstrates real serious breaches in Equality Legislation which seriously points to a new argument with real teeth to overturn previous hearing then let’s hear about it.
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That says it all. We weren’t thought important enough. Thanks for all you are doing for us 50s women
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It’s absolutely disgusting the way we have been treated
Shame on all you men that thought it’s okay to treat us women like this….
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Will this information affect any decision on taking this vital issue back to a Court of law?
Are the lawyers who represented us previously prepared to represent us again and/or are they continuing to fight for reperations?
What is the current situation please?
Kind Regards
Elizabeth Allsopp Born 1954
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Thank you David what will happen next time why the women have a discrimination dispute paying full contributions
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No surprise there then! Women are obviously unimportant to the government! No equality for us! Pay our pensions now!
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He’s probably a greedy multi millionaire, why should he care,
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Well this proves beyond reasonable doubt that women in this country are still suppressed.
Most of us like me have worked from the age of 15 we’ve more than paid into the system, equality???? There will never be equality for women, not while there are so many men pulling the strings.
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I agree, and I’m a man!!!
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Ladies of the 50s aren’t considered or consulted about anything
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It was pure greed on the part of the then Chancellor George Osborne who no thoughts of the impact on a group of women who had already missed out on benefits taken for granted on the next generation of women ie no Maternity Leave No? Workplace Pensions? No Free Child Care? These Women were an easy Target for the money grabbing Tories C
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Why does this not surprise me.
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Well it affected my life greatly, my husband was 7 years older than me. He died at 70 I was just 64 and had no income. I had to sell the family home to buy a smaller property so that I had some money to live on for the next two years. Finding work is difficult at 64 you can ge an hour here or there but it doesn’t pay the bills. I have just got my state pension, I feel bitter as many of my friends who are a bit older have had theirs for several years.
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So basically we are effectively non existent.
Thanks DWP
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Disgusting that there wasn’t an impact study but typical of Government I’m all right Jack comes to mind I’ve worked since I was 17 in health care I’m now crippled with osteoarthritis of my spine and hips and have 2 knee replacements I had to retire at 62 but didn’t get my state pension till I was 65 and 9 months old and because I didn’t pay national insurance contributions for those years between 62 and 65 I am not getting a full state pension disgusting again I work for 45years in health care apart from 18 month’s maternity leave when I had my son if my husband’s pension wasn’t as good as it is I would be destitute SHAME ON YOU GOVERNMENT the way 1950 women have been treated
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This revelation underlines the gross injustice but, does it make any difference to the outcome
of the decisions already made, other than to ram home to women yet again that we are considered as second class citizens by the government of our country. What can be done with this information that will change anything?
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Sickening and typical
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Good that this information has come to light but will it make any difference to our cause?
I cannot believe that at every turn we are still being told NO
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The current Government forgets where the money they are freely spending on several vanity projects comes from – it should instead be used to rectify this injustice to fifties women – please let’s broadcast this revelation and shame the Government into action and not let them get away with treating us all so shabbily
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I continue to be amazed at how the government can be so blatantly sexist in their treatment of women. Such an utter disregard for the financial and health consequences of these womwn is shameful! I sincerely hope that justice will prevail.
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An absolute disgrace. The government are trying to say that women are important but they will not correct even partly this gross injustice
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British courts are utterly corrupt and ONLY juries provide impartiality not the hand picked lackeys who thieve for the crown with impunity. Women would have been better chaining themselves to the Downing street gates than wasting time and money on hoping a judicary would back their case. A jury could have made a big difference in the final decision. When £50billion+ was at stake and robbed from those women all the tory scum could do was think about how many trident missiles they could buy from the proceeds of crime . The utter scum and filth control Britain and recently suggested they want to give £19million towards the likes of Womens Aid and the others who have done NOTHING to help those women but happy to take the dirty money under the guise the tory’s protect women from all us bad men.
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So am I correct in thinking that’s it !!!! no chance we are ever going to get one penny of the 6 years government pension ROBERRY I’ve worked all my life for ?? TOTAL DISGRACE !!
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Institutional discrimination. What are the next steps? Many thanks.
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totally discussed so it’s sounds us women are not worth of anything cannot express how i feel just feel like we’ve been let down and donot matter and we have to work till we drop
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Youth unemployment on the rise I wonder why
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Apparently, they raised the state pension age for 50s women to bring it in line with men – they called it equality – what equality? I’ve never known or had equality in my entire life. Then to tell us that it is up to the government to put it right – why do they think we went to court – yep – because the government, MPs on both sides, refused to engage with us, ignored us. If nothing else it has made me realize what a bunch of self-serving hypocrites our MPs are – we need a bill of rights CEDAW.
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Shocking, discriminatory, misogynistic ……
Yes, the Patriarchy is still fully functioning.
WHY ARE WOMEN STILL BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST? This is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.
Thank you David for taking on this challenge.
Makes me SO ANGRY that suddenly, due to the Covid pandemic, and to ‘save the economy’ a magic money tree appeared. Whereas about four years ago when we met Mark Prisk (our MP at the time) both in Hertford and in Westminster, he kept pointing out what a large amount of money it would cost to pay us our ‘lost’ or as I prefer to put it STOLEN pension. How much would we be prepared to accept he asked? He wanted to be able to put a figure to The House. ALL OF IT MR PRISK! ONE HUNDRED PER CENT PLEASE. This is NOT a hand out, it is our right. WE PAID IN, YOU PAY OUT!
We will not shut up and go away until we receive what is rightfully ours.
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Thank you David and all at Back to 60.. for not giving up and raising the profile of 50 s women while we’re still here!!!
More and more women are not living to see their rightfully earned pensions!! I ‘ve lost several friends before their pension was due and also, Many women worked while bringing up their family and also caring for elderly parents and juggling these things with a health condition or disability as in my case. Yes, as has already been mentioned, this is not a benefit but OUR money that we’ve paid in..
The MP who mentioned his 70 yr old mother still working as a QC and enjoying it is very fortunate but you can’t compare one pensioner with another, that’s just ridiculous.. And at 70, she ‘ll already be drawing her pension since she was 60!!! Unlike us… Even my husband got his pension at 65 while I was 66 and he s just 11 months older than me.. !! is that eauality.. Yes, an impact assessment should have been carried out, but Like the so called letters we never received, just a farce..
The suffrage movement would be cringing now, voting day will see a reckoning..
Money can be found when they choose but where’s our money gone..? Topping up men’s pensions etc etc…
I ‘ll willingly help anyone who needs aid or relief but I would like to be consulted first, not robbed of what’s rightfully ours.. they ‘ll be emptying our bank accounts next. What about our independence, dignity and being able to help the economy!!!
We need some of these Women’s rights Baronesses to stand our corner.. Us women are speaking the truth not lies… ENOUGH..!!
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We just aren’t important enough but anyone can move to this country and get benefits to.live off. Absolute joke
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Hmmmm….reading these sad tales there’s no need for an IA-just force the MPs who support keeping us from our pensions to be forced to read every one….Including KK with hard working QC mum….hardly frontline Care Work is it? Fool that he is for being so cavalier for comparing his privileged life for any one of these 3.8m women. If he had someone treat him unfairly,
how soon would it be before he used the racist card?
But we’re women and merit discrimination.
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Hmmmm….reading these sad tales there’s no need for an IA-just force the MPs who support keeping us from our pensions to read every one..
..Including KK with his ‘hard working’ QC mum….hardly frontline Covid facing Care Work is it? Fool that he is for being so cavalier and comparing his privileged life with any one of these 3.8m women. If he had someone treat him unfairly, how soon would it be before he used the racist card?
But we’re women and merit discrimination.
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Thank you for all ur work Disgraceful..I am 64 & tired still working in a care home I like many others have worked since 15 & brought up 3 children suffered the loss of a 2 year old daughter looked after my Downs sister & invalid mother & I have never claimed a penny from this country absolutely disgusted & let down..I have 5 grandchildren & would love to have lots more time with them without feeling so knackered..by the time we get our pensions we will be to warn out to enjoy them..we have all been robbed & need & deserve some justice.👏👏
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I agree in same boat. I’m 64 with a disabled husband working full time with type 1 diabetes in a food .laboratory working all through pandemic . Was looking forward to resting at 65 and it’s gone up again.
Started working at 17. Had a couple of years off for one child with a kidney problem but then returned to work.
Just not fair .
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When filling in my census form this week felt like replying as a suffragette once did …
No person living here only unimportant 62 year old woman !!
We are still 2nd or is it 3rd class citizens in some male politicians eyes !
Disgraceful !
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Typical what next
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Absolutely diabolical!
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It really is a disgrace. My feeling is that the government increased the pension age in the hope that many of us won’t survive to 66 as we are worn out from working hard since the age of 15 as well as rearing children, looking after elderly parents and not to mention, running around doing the housework etc. There are lots of able bodied youngsters getting paid for sitting at home. Where is the justice
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Well what a surprise! No one is interested in us!
I am working full time as a nurse and must do till next year and I am very fit for my age but it’s tough!
Definitely not valued by government. I have missed out so much with my grandchildren just to pay the bills.
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David Cameron and George Osbourne are responsible for the dispicable act towards the 50’s women, under the Conservative Government. George Osbourne was filmed in the Commons afterwards gloating about how much money it saved them. Shame on them for all they have put us through.They didn’t care and still don’t under Boris Johnsons leadership, just waiting for us to die, then they won’t have to pay back what they stole. Almost 40 yrs i worked, paid my tax and national insurance, sometimes working many hours of overtime. I was a nurse, but they have no respect to this very day paying nurses what they deserve, or in any other profession who have worked so hard. They will not get my vote, maybe if they do the decent thing, somehow i doubt that will be the case.
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It makes me so angry but not surprised. I am 67years young and I truly believe I will never see a world we’re women are given equality or treated as equal members of society.
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Are we surprised that the effect on women of postponing their pension wasn’t even considered. How have these people got the cheek to talk about equality.
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Thank you David…. The truth will out!
Women still have to fight for what’s right!
Thank you Back to 60 for your continued strength and passion to getting this wrong put right!
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It does not make it right to ignore women and their finances. What is good enough for men will be good enough for me a female.
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Daylight robbery thats what I call it. I did a very physical job i worked on our family farm from a very young age. Then I got a job farm work at 15 also worked nights and weekends on our farm. I had my own Carpet and Upholstery cleaning business for 30 years at 56 I became quite ill and had to give up my business. I was devastated I had always worked . Then I found out I was not getting my pension at 60 it would be 66. I wish I had my health back . Life is so cruel. I wish now I had not worked the long days and all the hours as I have so many disabilities now .
Catherine Sails
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Absolutely breaks my heart the way we have been treated working from the age of 15 hoping to retire at the age of 60 having to work another 6 years in a fiscal job I’d challenge any one of these people to come and do what I have to do at my age and not just for one day either for a full 7 days see how it affects there Health it’s criminal injustice to say the least they are a waste of space I seriously know who I’ll be voting for in the next election
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What a disgrace to treat women this way.
Guess it must be illegal not to never think of doing any impact studies on the effect of their decisions to raise the pension age from 60 to 66 for 3.8 million women.
I simply can’t get my head around this, as any major changes in this modern day has an impact assessment attached.
The DWP have not done their job properly, and the 3.8 million women need answers right now.
Women are sick and tired of being treated unequal!!
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No big surprise then! I’ve been a nurse for 18 yrs + then last 10 yrs+ 1% rise and it looks like yet another 1% rise even after what nurses have been through & still going through Covid.
My voting days long over.I lost my husband before he reached his state pension, no widows pension for me, oh wait a moment…. I really should be grateful I received £1,500 over 15 months, that’s doesn’t touch nowhere near what he paid in over his working life.
Looks like I’m heading in the same direction. Totally lost faith in any government body.
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The loss of pension has had a huge impact and earnings now are still taxed!!! No earnings over Covid period so was dire.
As based on no profit did not receive any self employment funds from gov during Covid year so all savings used as had loss of income – falling through the cracks now taxed on 19-20 income and pension as had profit in that recent year .
it is a joke !
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I never at any time received any notice that my pension would be delayed after my 60th birthday, let alone that I wouldn’t get anything till just before my 65 birthday.
I was really excited about getting my pension so , friend told me to go on the government gateway and check what day my pension would arrive. I cried when it stated it was going to be delayed. I cried again when it said it was going to be delayed again and again, it just kept changing! I’d paid in to this insurance since I was 15 and now at 60 I wasn’t going to get it. How we’re we ever going to manage ? Well we didn’t we sold our beautiful home , jewellery , Car , I just didn’t want to go on . It’s been nearly 5 years of torture, never knowing when they would move the goalposts again. I now receive my pension, but it will never bring back what I lost . Please give back what is rightfully ours .
I have a story to tell of sadness and suicide.
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Have had physical jobs since 17 years of age.employed as shop worker,moved onto auxiliary nursing and then after training became a staff nurse. A lot of juggling and multi-tasking with bringing up children and running a family home in between times.
There has been a lot of wear and tear on my body over the years.And now I’m struggling physically and mentally with stress and strain of working as support staff in a challenging behaviour unit for adults with a learning disability.
I also have to support an elderly mother who has health issues. It’s all a struggle now that I’m 65 years old- I wish I’d paced myself more over the years or perhaps changed careers.
But I didn’t expect to still be working at 65/66.
As a divorcee of 22 years, financially it’s harder not having someone to share the bills associated with running the home. So really not a lot can be put aside for the future.
I feel that being a woman born in the 1950’s puts me at a disadvantage for socio-economic reasons. These were highlighted in the Backto60 campaign.
1950’s women have been treated as modern day slaves.
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Typical treating women like second class citizens by men in power.
Waited 51/2 years for my state pension, using savings to survive only to find out my pension would be less than my husband’s? Daylight robbery.
Pay us what we’ve worked for. I worked 45 years since the age of 15, never claimed a benefit.
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So I lost my forever home. I am now living in an over 55 complex. I have just been made redundant. And have now been told that I cannot apply for Jobseeker’s Allowance as I have not paid no in the last three years. They are not interested in the fact that I paid no for 42 years. I still have 10 months before I can collect my pension. I am not even sure if I will get the full pension as I opted out in the 80’s which was recommended by the government. I feel like I am a woman and woman are not valued in this world
Anita
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Thank you for update.
I think everyone should write to their local MP attaching this new information.
We cannot let the Goverment get away with this or continue to discriminate against women especially in this day and age! Now is a good time to take up our pen and paper as per the current news headlines. The pen is mightier than the sword!!
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Cost cutting throughout my career meant they always wriggled out of equal pay for the same job as male colleagues elsewhere.
Cost cutting meant early retirement with a reduced work pension at 60 and 6 years to wait for my state pension. Having just received my first payment, I still feel stressed when I think of the struggle to make ends meet working part time for child rearing years on my own. No rights to child care, no maternity pay and using holiday for sick children days and mother in law post operative care. Further back still in the 70s my Mother died in my final year at Uni and my younger brother and sister of 12 and 16 relied on me for the next 4 or more years. I took jobs with lower pay in conservation looking after our countryside, undervalued hardly starts to describe how I feel sometimes. Yet today everyone expects more money at whose expense? I will say no more.
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To add insult to injury, I have received a letter from the DWP telling me they have been paying me £3.00 per week too much and I am on the old Basic State Pension payment, not the new !!!! I too was born in the 50’s. I worked full-time for 48 years, as a Registered Nurse, always paying a full NI stamp etc. and had to wait the extra years for my pension. Looking after a family and elderly parents in the latter years of my working life, took its toll on my mental and physical health and wellbeing. There is injustice in our Pension rights. What is forgotten, is that working women have 2 fulltime jobs. One outside the home and one inside the home. So by retirement age of 60 (women), one could argue that the inequality is that women have worked twice as hard has men. Women have earned the right to retire at 60 and receive the State Pension they paid for.
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They say women live longer than men? Well not any more as this was not an error infact they were pretty sure with all the stress this has caused 1950’s women we are going to be a generation who will not!
Well let’s hope that woman such as myself a girl who wanted to be a nurse to care for others carry on the fight.
What 1950’s women are fighting for is justice and in the end in a society of greed eventually the truth is coming out and the Tories are being held to account…they Rely on Women voters to keep them in power? Time to see change in May elections and send them a message… truth or lies which one is it?
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It has had a very bad effect on me i feel they have put their hands in my pocket and robbed it! Absolutely disgusting what they did. Ive had to get a job and im (64yrs) i am so tired all the time and feel exhausted this should not be happening, its wrong, very wrong, i should be retired and getting my state pension. Thanks you Government for nothing. 😡
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Surprise, surprise! NOT!
Another decision made by men that affects women. I’m a nurse, worked in the NHS and currently in a carehome, again, decisions made by men with the pittance of a supposed pay rise.
I have to work until I’m 66 in a job where the government encouraged the clapping for the NHS and then show what they really think through their actions. DISGUSTING!
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Thank you David, for keeping your finger on the pulse. Does this now mean that we can proceed, given that the government has now declared that women are not being treated equally but have been openly discriminated against in failing to perform a risk assessment or have contributions credited as men did? Can the government also be taken to task for the misappropriation of £271 biliion NI Pot with no explanation of where the money went? That money would have practically paid for Covid and was, at least, partly intended for health care.
Someone should also point out the meaning of ‘opportunity cost’ to these government bodies: Just what would have these ‘retired’ women have contributed to society for free – caring, childcare, voluntary work, etc.
I had plans to help out in my local school (something which would be badly needed after the pandemic). In the last two years since I should have retired, I have aged considerably and deteriorated considerably both physically and mentally. Giving me my pensions would have allowed me to pay to improve my physical rehabilitation which has not been fully addressed by the NHS. I have now begun to question if I will actually make it to retirement without becoming a burden on the state – I have never taken help from anyone and, if I survive, will have 48 years of contributions where only 38 supposedly required. So, not only do I expect to be unable to make the contributions to society I had intended, I could become a greater demand on the public purse!
50s women were brought up to believe they were 2nd class citizens – the apologetic phrase ‘just a housewife’ says it all. Men controlled every aspect of our lives: we did not expect equal pay, even if we were twice as good, we expected to be patronised, we could not wear what we liked, have a good night out and get ‘tiddly’ as men could and certainly not walk anywhere after dark as these are ‘you were asking for it!’ crimes. Womens’ work was considered to be 24/7 whole life and unpaid. Retiring at 60 from our little ‘pin money’ jobs was part of the compensation package. The Pandemic has proved that many men have been neglecting the childcare and housework, dumping the main responsibility on women, which proves so little has changed. Domestic violence has rocketed. What will it take – women going on strike and refusing to bear children? Suddenly, the value of their contribution would be appreciated and there would be no excuse for not paying equal wages and benefits and generally just treating women decently.
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It is quite believable that this was never done. Like all women born the 50s I did not plan to retire 6 years after my husband I thought we would retire together. I just hope that there is still time to do this.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to keep trying to push this.
Kind regards Kim Edwards
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We need this sorted and compensated
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Don’t worry they are only working women and as a gender are lower than ethnicity in the pecking order, so just leave them to their fates, is the attitude of the authorities
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Disgusting. So again then the DWP has a case to answer. Why are they treating the women of our country in this way. And it covers all parties not just the Torys. You can’t do something s that impacts so many without doing a study.
Apparently only them that get high personal pensions can. Galls me to think even some women back this
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I count myself lucky that I have been able to work full time from 60- 66 but what upsets me the most
Is I have not been able to look after or spend more time with my grandchildren which I can never get.
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I was born in 1958, and was absolutely not aware that the pension age had changed. Thank you to all that are trying to get this injustice changed. The government always seems to find money, millions and billions from somewhere, in my opinion, when it suits them. We actually have no idea. I was watching Panorama on the millions the government spent on deals for PPE, to people who have made a fortune out of it, and the deals to provide PPE were apparently mainly inside jobs. This is just one example. Now the PPE is sitting in warehouses not being used. I was furious when I heard the amount of money spent and wasted. What else are they spending millions on that we don’t about?? Yet they don’t have the money for our pensions? We really have been treated disgracefully and we must continue with our protests to set this right for us all and receive the pensions we have paid in for, for all our working years.
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Fraudulent , robbery……. and yet they get away with it.
How can this happen, in this day and age?????
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If a private pension provider tried to do what the government has done they would have been in court and forced to pay what was stated at the start.
When people started working full time they was told that national insurance payments were taken to provide them with a pension at the age of 60 for females and 65 for males they should not have been allowed to change the date of when they started receiving it.
If they wanted to start raising the age of when people would start receiving their pension it should only be allowed for people who had not started paying national insurance payments and it should be stated at what age it would start to be paid, if the government could not work out how much it would cost them then whoever’s job it was to work it out should be sacked and not allowed to work in a simular job or any job that put them in charge of public funds ever again along with having to make up any missing money from their owners private funds they get paid enough to do the job, I bet they don’t suffer when they retire from work or have to scrimp and watch every penny they spend unlike the people who have had 5 years on their pension stolen from them.
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Please sign and share the link
Petition: Give free bus passes to ALL in England at age 60 https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/552322
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Working till 66 is not not when your I’ll I’m struggling at the moment but no one cares lost all faith in goverment
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Not suprised the goverment just do as they like in this country if the mp’s had there pensions stolen it would be a different outcome
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I would say I am surprised. But guess what. I would like to ask how many women were involved in the decision making process? Also what regard was given to the fact that not only are women not receiving the pension until a later age, therefore receiving it for less time but in addition are continuing to pay contributions after the age of 60?
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No surprise women still treat as second class citizens bern the same all my life.
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This news is to be expected the masochistic intent by this government thousands of men now receive their state pension before women due to the age change and lack of consideration shame on them.
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Would this have made a difference in the decision the judge(s) made in our Court Cases had they had this information?
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Thank you to the BACKTO60 team hopeful of a good outcome
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Absolutely disgraceful!! Government saving money at the expense of women, if this is not discrimination then what is?!!!! If I discriminated against someone I worked with I would be in trouble! What makes the government immune?? And yes I’m still having to work in my 60’s because of this government’s discrimination just like thousands of us women who are having to!! And many with health issues, but are left with no choice, makes me so angry!! BACK TO 60!!
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Amazing how the system gets away with this underhandedness. No transparent research carried out years ahead of any changes. I’m another one, only I’m buggered after having serious stroke after I was 60. I started work at 16 believing that I’d work till 60. I’ve done my bit and was working up to the stroke. Whatever years I have should be comfortable and free from worrying about heating bills. I’ve now lived off savings I’d made for my later years. I’m done with Cameron’s Big Society too. I did my bit there too. He can shove it where the sun shines. It must do because someone voted these ideoligists in. No words for Osborne. You wouldn’t want this for your family, so why do it to us 1950’s ladies? If I die before I get it I’ll come back and haunt ’em.
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This does not surprise me in the least. Wonder why we don’t feel valued as citizens in this country.
Thank you for bringing this to light.
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So dissapointing that women of the 50’s have been let down & not received what we were entitled to. I have been in employment since I was 16 apart from raising my 3 children where I still managed to work part-time. Living alone now is financially very challenging & I do worry how I am going to manage with the cost of living ever increasing. Following Backto60 & the stories of what some women are enduring is heartbreaking. Women have done nothing wrong worked hard brought families up looked after elderly parents & deserve to be treated with respect & justice. Basically we have been cheated out of our Pension money which is akin to theft & the Government & Legal Justice system has let us down !!
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Women shafted once again, utterly unhappy with the way the DWP and Government have handled this, Equality has not been met for women yet again , men have had pension credits from 1983 until 2018, women never got those pension credits, more injustice for women.
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This doesn’t surprise me one iota! Women, as far as the government & DWP are concerned are of no significance, that is until they need us, but still we do not get the recognition! Women have (up to today) been treated as equals & nor will we be because we don’t kick up a fuss! Personally, I think this is the sad truth, we have never really stood up for our rights! I know I haven’t, I worked full time (as a Nurse & mainly night duty, ran a home, looked after my husband & brought up my son. My husband on the other hand had an easy life, went to work & went to the gym! I had to stop working because of my health (significant spinal problems & depression). I wonder how many other women from the 1950’s are also suffering from health problems because they also did what was expected of us?
I can some ladies asking “why did you do this?” Well, I did it, because part of me was brought up during the days when the mother’s job was to stay at home, doing the ‘full time’ job of wife, mother & housekeeper. And the other part of me brought up to believe that women should be independent & should go out to work. My mother worked (through choice) but we had a lady who came every morning to look after the home & see to us (me & my siblings) & seeing us off to school. I like most women today, couldn’t afford a lady to come in & help me, not on a Nurse’s wage anyway. So I did 2 full time jobs to only get well & truly shafted (sorry, but I’m so angry) by the government & DWP! Incredibly immoral & unfair!!
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Saving money big style government realise that at 67 people won’t be getting their pension for too long thereby saving even more money if in fact you reach that age
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Does this mean we could revive the court case
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I am disgusted as usual this penny pinching is having such an adverse effect on women who should have retired at 60 . I have paid full national insurance since starting work at 15 years old. I am now 64 I have a small pension from my employer. I relay on my husband to subsidise my pension. I feel so let down.
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A little disappointed is an understatement! I would find it hard to work at 66….so I understand women want equal rights…you have them. I do not agree with 66 pension age for men or women…60 it should be .
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I feel that the government has stolen women’s pensions, just like some of the major employers ( BHS. Etc ) have stolen their employees pensions.
To my way of thinking there is very little difference , as both cause financial hardship, poverty, stress, worry and uncertainty to women in the later stage of their lives, when most women are no longer able to work. It’s disgraceful that an impact study was. It done at the point of changing the retirement age.
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And still no redress……not so much as an apology, never mind the return of our lost investment. It is appalling. I cannot help but think that they just want us all to die…….
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It’s about time they stopped looking at women as 2nd class citizens. The majority of women have been there to support the men and children in their lives over the years and they obviously don’t think we are worth any consideration.
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I seem to remember a few weeks ago the dwp paid out money to pensioners who had been paid less in error.. did anyone else see that. Makes you think, it can be done..
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This is utterly disgraceful & needs to be fought rigorously & escalated to the Court of Human Rights. I was expecting to receive my pension in 2013 & had conducted my financial affairs accordingly only to be told the year before that I would have to find other means to support myself. This legislation has left millions of women without other means to live in poverty. w
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I am utterly disappointed I know have to work another 7 years I dont get the chance to enjoy my life after working from 12 years and I dont have time with my grandkids.
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You only worked for 12 years? I doubt many others only worked 12 years I worked full time from the age of 15 to 65 and during the last few years I was self employed where you have to pay a standered price plus a percentage of your turnover which works out a lot more than working for another company so I paid full stamp for 50 years and a few weeks before I was meant to start getting my state pension I was told I would have to work a extra 5 years to cut down on sex discrimination where men had to work until they were 65 and women only had to work until they were 60 it all started when a man started taking the government to court for six discrimination as he had to work until he was 65 yet women only worked until age 60 so instead of men’s pension going down to the same as women women’s pension went up to 65 so everyone was the same if they really wanted to be fair mens should have dropped to 62 ½ years old and women should have only gone up to 62 ½
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I worked from the age of 12 years and have not stopped working.
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I worked from the age of 12 years and now nearly 60. I never had a break in my working days, now I need to work another 7 years on top of that. Mybe I didnt make it clear, what I was trying to say.
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Just read the story that the DWP has never bothered to assess the impact of raising the state pension age for 50s born women on their lives. That is disgusting. I have been lucky to have a lump sum from from a work pension which my mother advised me to take out in 83. I am so glad I did. I turned 64 last year and retired in 2016, taking my work pension + the lump sum. I also have a little business as an artist selling prints of my paintings between lockdowns which has help me out, but like a lot of other people have lost money to covid. I worked in the NHS, so would have had to work in the midst of the height of the pandemic but for that. I feel sorry for the women who will only have their state pension to rely on. This is a national scandal, Jill
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So wrong that we lost out on 6 years pension, when we have paid into the system since leaving school. I could understand if they said school leavers will not receive a pension until say 70 as they have not paid into the system yet & it is compulsory that you take out a private pension. Back in our day private pensions were not really thought about & I don’t know about others but I could not afford a private pension when the mortgage rate went as high as 15%! Even if they considered some compensation it would help us – surely that would be a compromise….
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The whole tone of the letter sums up the stance taken by DWP and the government in defence of changes that they were responsible for. They were and are arrogant in their mishandling of the rise in women’s state pension age. They had a blatant disregard to women’s rights, circumstance and sheer unfairness. The lack of moral fairness is shocking and the inability to admit their failings in a moral democracy is simply wrong. To justify the failing of completing an impact study by saying it wasn’t available at the time is an insult just because a policy was not in place does not mean the problem shouldn’t be addressed. If any decisions makers had any thought of the people that would be disadvantaged by their decisions then they could/would have been influenced to drive this change in a fairer way. Shame on them !!!
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After having such an unsurprising and huge reaction to this information, I for one am waiting for some reaction to it from Back to 60. I have always supported Back to 60 and always will, but I will be very disappointed if nothing is heard from them regarding this latest slap in the face to 50’s Women. I would like to know if there has been any movement regarding Back to 60’s intention to take the issue of 50’s Women and their stolen Pensions to the Supreme Court. We heard after the defeat last September that that was the intention. Because that was 6 months ago now and I was wondering if I had missed something.
Have you heard anything David?
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There a bunch of misogynistic robbing unmentionable on line scum there is nothing what so ever any equality between way they treated women and men between this men still got a extra benifit what did we got no assessment what so ever on the impact on women that’s disgraceful and complete farce my god I hope this comes back and bite this right on there butt big time one day Karma it’s time
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I am living proof how demoralising and damaging that decision has affected women… l don’t think if you’re not in our position you understand or care…
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Is this not a form of discrimination. That the DWP and the government they worked for never thought of the impact this would have on all the women who’s retirement got extended would have. I bet if it was the other way and it was men having there retirement extended by five or more years something would of been done.
Disgraceful. Women like us treat like second class citizens.
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It seems women are not worthy of an impact study !! Maybe if they had thought about the pension age rise a little more realistically and introduced the compulsory work place pensions in 1995, 1950’s born ladies would be in a position to retire at 60!!….instead they only were only made compulsory in 2017!! No where near long enough for anything substantial to be saved for us to live on while we wait to collect our pension at the age of 66 or 67 as the age rises again I believe in 2024 … so where can we go from here ???!
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If there is ever a return to normality after Covid what better time to release over 60’s women to begin their retirement and allow younger people to fill the jobs. The government should be considering either pay pensions to those who wish to retire or benefits to those who can’t find a job.
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You mis read what the writer said: she worked FROM 12 not for 12 (years)!
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If the Government was to pay Us 50s Women our MONEY, which is rightly OURS, surely, when We come out of Lockdown, a very large amount of this Money will be spent in the Economy, boosting trade and businesses, creating more jobs, and ultimately, being returned back to the Government, via Taxes etc. WIN, WIN, GIVE US OUR MONEY BACK, KNOW BRAINER !!!!!!.
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So we were not worthy to have impact report says it all . We were not informed of changes to pensions Ect , feels like we’re not going to get justice, already in bad health losing hope .
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DWP misogynistic? Surely not …… Let the facts speak for themselves.
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No Impact Report is not a surprise. Why was there no Public Consultation at the time on this major policy change? Take a look at at the gov.uk website – interesting to note that Consultation Principles have now been updated but retrospectively surely the Government had a legal duty to consult? Where was Labour and other parties when all this was going on? In hindsight, 1995 Act is currently having a damaging impact on both the young and all women/men affected. Could our supportive MPs aske for a retrospective Public Consultation now?
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I have just written to my MP (waste of time in her case) although we all need to do this asap, regardless of how unhelpful the MP may be! I have also written to a newspaper – please also do this. Emails are really quick, and we need to increase the numbers of letters/emails the papers get, then they may run an investigation.
Please also sign the bus pass Petition – it’s a way of making more noise. Please sign this and ‘share on facebook or twitter’ – https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/552322 – you may have to paste into browser. (I copied it from a msg above)
Some of you may not know this: If you lose your husband/wife, the surviving spouse is entitled to £1,000 from the DWP re the State Pension – nothing if not married. It may not be much after 35 + years of contributions, but it’s something.
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How is it that the 200, 000 UK women are having there back payment averaging £13,500 of underpaid pension paid, they managed to find that money, also how have they found money to pay for the new press room in no 9 downing Street, if they can find all this money surely back to 60, and waspi should be able to have there pensions repaid in full, so far I’ve lost £15, 750 in 21mths
David over to you
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Well said!
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Hi everybody, just brought the daily mail today Wednesday on page 46 in the money mail page a very small article referring to the back to 60, so small you could miss it, just a few lines explaining they went to the supreme Court yesterday Tuesday which dismissed the appeal, this was not worthy of a front scoop page or on tv, we’ve been let down by everyone hmrc, and those very rich judges who probably live in mansion with swimming pools and seconds homes.
What happens now,
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so surprise there we’ve worked all our lives for what nothing where dies this leave us know ?
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so surprise there we’ve worked all our lives for what nothing where does this leave us know ?
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Further to the announcement yesterday re supreme Court, after the cedaw case can we appeal against the result of back to 60
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Unbelievable … but no surprise 🙄
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BOOM!
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it was bad enough waiting five extra years for pension and bus passes, but then to add an extra year was a kick in the teeth. People that have never worked get more than people that work hard all their lives, and for what at least give the poor women that last year back. Its a disgrace. The workers pay all the tax for the country then get treat like dirt!.
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It is a gross dereliction of duty by a UK Government, by the DWP (formerly DSS) and by ALL subsequent Governments from 1995 to date.
Just wiping their hands of this treachery – that’s what it is – then having opportunities to ameliorate the financial distress, shrunken life opportunities shared with family etc – subsequent Governments eg Gordon Brown drop a solution is autocredits for women affected but allow 19 million men to benefit from it for 35 years.
It had been calculated by another financial activist that the average notification of change for women was 1year 4months*…..men were allowed .
That’s an economic gift
1. to way more than double the women affected and 2. for 20+ times as long a period of access to extra pension for men than the notification of stealing pensions from women
3. Blatantly discriminatory and unequal treatment
4. The access to the same autocredits for women was stopped by Brown.
5. As if the unequal, preferential treatment of men above also gave those who received FREE autocredits had added State Pension FOR LIFE in addition to retiring early.
It is an absolute Human Rights fiasco and rubbed in by the Government’s constant bleating that effectively they don’t have to tell the country that elected them anything and furthermore, they are not responsible for how their own legislation affects its citizens.
Rishi Sunak made a grand Budget speech earlier this year to Parliament – quite impressive for a newbie – until he reached the point of fantasy by stating that this Government and all previous Conservative Governments didn’t leave a mess for others to clean up. That’s a lie – as long as there’s a will I for one will not give up on this terrible, spiteful injustice which the present PM promised faithfully on steps of No 10 to sort out….then backtracked rapidly after failing to prorogue Parliament, mislead the Sovereign, get his over-the-shop accommodation paid for in an alleged highly disreputable manner.
We ladies who have lost 5-6 years of our earned State Pension entitlements have done nothing wrong. We have been led by misogynists and liars and we have been cheated by an unpoliced, unaccountable and unjust regime.
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Furious beyond words ! Struggled to continue working with Ill health and bullying as I got older in the workforce! DWP have a lot to answer for and we should all be compensated! Many women haven’t Been able to work and live in poverty but why should the DWP care!!
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Absolutely a disgrace how we have been ignored. No letter to warn us so we could save for the changes and those who got letters received them only with two years notice not enough time to prepare. I have worked since I was 15 towards a promised pension moved to 60. Then behold another shock of six years added!!!
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Fabulous rendition of the crap DWP attitude to women per se.
Spot on as usual David. Thank the Lord you are a constant thorn in their leathery skin ….appalling disinterest, systemic ignoring of DWP claimant entitlements, department and management unfit for purpose.
We love you David!!!!!
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Fabulous rendition of the crap Government & DWP attitude to women per se.
Thank the Lord you are a constant thorn in their leathery skin ….appalling disinterest, systemic ignoring of DWP claimant entitlements, department and management unfit for purpose.
We love you David!!!!!
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Is anything further being done to get our pensions returned to us from the rotton to the core government. Fraudulent theft of hard working short changed women.
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Yeeeesssss!!!!!
Gotcha DWP!
Everything stacked in favour of men….and women? Not even considered worthy of consideration
If this doesn’t make every one of those 3.8,m women feel like they’ve been treated like a loser …because they have lost…..then there’s something wrong.
And the Govt/DWP was crafty enough only to let out this info to a private individual request……they avoided giving the answer direct to FOI requesters whom DWP knew to be campaigners for the return of these monies to the 3.8m. What a shifty bunch of people they are……FOIs are there exactly for theses reasons; access to correct information.
Eventually they let out their sweaty secret when their guard was down – they didn’t even care about women. Their behaviour was immoral and discriminatory. No IA was done for men because Govt had already taken care of them for 35 years! And during the same time they were lying to 3.8m saying “no money”. It’s despicable, Victorian, discriminatory and just darned illegal Govt practices all held up by gold-digging hired help fatcat lawyers not interested in moral arguments, let alone legal ones.
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Are we ever going to get back our hard earned pension. We are not asking for anything that is not ours, just what we have paid into over our working lives. I am now 65 and have worked hard since the age of 15. I should be enjoying retirement now not worrying about making ends meet. It is so frustrating seeing people who have never worked a day in their lives, claiming benefits and are better off than myself and I’m sure lots of other likewise women. Where is the justice!
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