Women's pension age,

[Goingtoseed]

I fully understand the reasons but for the sake of parity the increase in age should have been gradual not an increase of six years in one fell swoop. That was savage & unfair.

The same can be said about the Civil Service Pension Scheme. My pensions were non contributory and a full pension would be paid out after 40years service/age 60.

That was changed to a contributory one with retirement now set at 65.

[Goingtoseed]

It's not solely about the equalisation of age.
It seems to me that the economics of the position these women are in has not been fully addressed.
Men generally work longer and thus pay in to the system more which as we all know counts when the pension is assessed upon retirement. A woman's role in society is far different from men's in respect of children.
My wife was not working for 7 years when our children were born and thus not contributing to NI. Some mothers decide to stay at home and dont return to work.

It is a constant rant from my wife that my pension is higher than hers and I have to, again, reminder her that it is all about earnings and contributions.

My wife of 76 has only worked a total of 6 years (1958 - 1964) before she had her first two children with her first husband. However when we married and had two more children I made sure that she claimed what I believe was a system of NI credits whilst the children were in full time education. Given the ages of my step children and then my children it wasn't worth her while to work so as to pay NI.
Because of those 6 years of work and the years at home whilst the children were receiving an education her State Pension is 55% of a full pension.

Stay at home mums do not always lose out provided that they make the appropriate claims to the DWP.

[Goingtoseed]

Crabbyob, but surely that would mean the workshy layabouts who had never paid a penny into the system,  would still receive a  pension. even though they had sat on their arses  and already ponced of the taxpayer all their lives.
The  best way IMO  is by  building up your pension by paying NI contributions throughout a working life , with auto contributions in place for women during the periods when   bringing up children , in their early  years,  and those off work for genuine illness, or disability

What is the point in doing that? Pension Credit automatically entitles a couple to the equivalent and more besides of two single pension payments whether they worked or not. The absolute minimum that they would be paid currently is £255.25 pw for a couple or if single £167.25 pw.
Compare that to the new state pension of a maximum of £168.60 pw for each person.
On the old scheme the basic rate is £129.20 pw each.

Conversely on the old scheme you would be getting the basic minimum pension credit for a couple of £255.25 whereas the total of two basic full old state pensions would be £258.40!!

[sparky]

Which only shows there is something badly wrong with the way pension credit, is dished out to layabout parasites ending up better off than folks that have worked their nuts off all their lives. I am a great believer that you should only get out what you have paid in, and if a person has no good reason for not working and paying into the system , then not only should they get nothing at retirement age, but even long before that, and if that means they go hungry and homeless. then tough [censored].

[mick607]

Yet immigrants can arrive here & get full entitlement to everything soon to be joined by the Albanians & Macedonians, then more cuts to the hard working taxpayers when they reach retirement age.

[GrannyMac]

Yet immigrants can arrive here & get full entitlement to everything soon to be joined by the Albanians & Macedonians, then more cuts to the hard working taxpayers when they reach retirement age.

Its not that simple.  There are a lot of hoops to jump through for economic migrants.  Some will have made pension contributions in their own country, some won't qualify for anything here and may have to leave the UK.  So many categories and so many rules.  Don't forget UK citizens abroad may get pensions there. Means tested benefits in any country, including the UK, depends on their status.

[Diasi]

Its not that simple.  There are a lot of hoops to jump through for economic migrants.  Some will have made pension contributions in their own country, some won't qualify for anything here and may have to leave the UK.  So many categories and so many rules.  Don't forget UK citizens abroad may get pensions there. Means tested benefits in any country, including the UK, depends on their status.

You're right about the DWP benefits & pensions payable to immigrants.

However, as has been pointed out by myself & GTS, many immigrants are funded directly by the Home Office & the payments can be considerably higher than the DWP benefits.

[mick607]

Thank you for clarifying that Diasi.

[GrannyMac]

You're right about the DWP benefits & pensions payable to immigrants.

However, as has been pointed out by myself & GTS, many immigrants are funded directly by the Home Office & the payments can be considerably higher than the DWP benefits.

Yes, I do know about Home Office funding.  And I believe those cases must be speeded up, even though they represent quite a small proportion of immigrants. (around 5%) https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/insights/migration-statistics-how-many-asylum-seekers-and-refugees-are-there-in-the-uk/

There seems to be a view in some quarters that anyone who lands on our shores, for whatever reason, is given wealth we locals could only dream of.  And that is far from the reality.   

[sparky]

GrannyMac, There might well be many hoops to jump through, but their fellow parasites, waste no time in informing them   where the loops are and the quickest and easiest   ways of getting though those loops, along with the many ruses to avoid possible deportation for years in some cases, while enjoying UK hospitality at taxpayers expense

[crabbyob]

i sort of understand where Sparky is coming from, i agree its more important that we treat ourold ladies correctly than we treat immigrants how they expect to be treated, they should be given three to six months to get off benefits then removed, thats the migrants, not the elderly ladies 

[Scrumpy]

Perhaps the ‘Jumping through hoops ‘ game should be applied to the ‘Scroungers’ who already live in this country.. People who put little or nothing in the pot yet boast about getting plenty out of it.

[sparky]

Scrumpy, Yes that's the whole point, we already have enough of our home groan layabouts and scroungers to sort out,  without importing even more.

[GrannyMac]

Perhaps the ‘Jumping through hoops ‘ game should be applied to the ‘Scroungers’ who already live in this country.. People who put little or nothing in the pot yet boast about getting plenty out of it.

Can't disagree there Scrumpy!  It's getting harder to live a whole lifetime without working thank goodness.  Met a few who tried though.  🙄

[brian54]

Can't disagree there Scrumpy!  It's getting harder to live a whole lifetime without working thank goodness.  Met a few who tried though.  🙄

I do sympathise with a man and lady I know who come from a family of scroungers. They are brother and sister trying to break the dependency cycle.
The daughter is a Finance Manager and the son is a Senior Charge Nurse. People just look at their family background and not what they are doing.
They are buying their own houses.