Women and Pensions

[waghorn]

70% of women are on a reduced pension. I am one of that number. In 1981 or so I worked for a year paying a married woman stamp whilst I was in fact a single mother raising two children. When the DHSS discovered their mistake they blamed me for swindling them and ask for the full ammount of £280 back I could not afford this at the time so now I amon a significantly reduce pension.
This morning it was on the Radio 4 news that the British Open door policy allows for workers to come to Britain and if they work for one year they are entitled to full benefits. I worked for forty years and paid my dues and, like many woman  I can't get my full pension.
My MP has written to tell me that the government are reviewing the pensions and by 2050 they hope to sort out the discrepencies occuringas she says I quote @you don't want your children or grandchildren to be paying for you. How dare she. I have been self supporting all my life. and have never been dependant on the state on my children or anyone else. What has the goverment done with my money?

[Trixie]

I sympathize with this.  I paid a married womens stamp when I got married.  No one told me it would affect my old age pension.  Could I sue somebody for poor / non existant financial advise similar to the mis selling of endowment mortgages / pensions

[Sally]

I can't understand your MP telling you that Waghorn.  It's always been the case that the Pensions of the older generation are paid for by the current working population.  The Government of the day (any day) has never put aside the money being paid in by those who are working now, to pay for their pensions at some time in the future.  They have got themselves in a terrible mess and that is why now they are bringing in so many foreigners to pay the pensions of this baby boom generation (they've scored an own goal with this one though, as more and more of them are on State Benefits as soon as they qualify after 12 months working).
I haven't much sympathy for those who worked and paid the married woman's stamp and are now moaning cos they've got pensions only because of their husband's NI contributions.  We all knew we had a choice, some chose to pay the full stamp, which considerably lowered their take home pay in comparison with their colleagues who opted for the married women's stamp.  I can't imagine anybody would opt for paying pennies in NI and not wondering why this was so.

[waghorn]

It is splendid to get feed back on my comments. Trixie obviously has been meeted out the same treatment as I have and Sally feels strongly that people like us have had their just desserts.
I do think there are shades of grey. When I opted for married womans stamp, not only was I unaware that it would affect my pension but we, and many like us were the first blue collar workers into buying our own home rather than go on a council house waiting list.
The mortgage rate fluctuated from 7 to 13%. and although house prices were lower the wages we earnt went mainly on mortgage repayments.
It would appear by your note Sally that you consider people like me and Trixie as social scroungers. Not so Sally. People like us during the difficult seventies and eighties on low wages and high outgoings were the salt of the earth .

[Finn]

Squabbling aint going to resolve the fundamental problem that pensioners are not paid sufficent.

All those of a pensionable age should receive a fair basic state pension linked to average earnings. If some have paid more than others for whatever reason, then they should get more but the fundamental single issue is that basic state pension is not enough.

If we stick to fundamental issues we will make our point. If we start arguing about irrelevancies then we the pensioners will get absolutely nowhere.

[Sally]

No Joyce, of course I wasn't implying that anyone is a social scrounger.  I too was paying a mortgage in the 70's and 80's (and in fact still will be for the next two years).  This is a complex issue and I think it would be foolish to try to get media attention without considering all the varying positions of those involved.  Someone has to play devil's advocate to get the issue fully aired before others are able to poke holes in a proposed policy.

[waghorn]

How right you are Finn. We do need to be united. I was fortunate to be able to participate in the pensioner’s convention in London in November. It was inspiring to watch the pensioners who, with sticks and walking frames lay down on the wet grass in their skeleton masks and white overalls for a photo shoot by the press.
We are a voice to be reckoned with. Maybe for the first time if we stand united we have the power to sway governments.
The 1946 baby boomers have come of age and we are much more likely to vote than any of the younger generations. Lets not waste this new found voice.
Joyce