PRESS RELEASE:
On the eve of International Women’s Day, Chi Onwurah will be presenting a petition to the House of Commons on behalf Newcastle Central constituents urging the Government to make fair transitional arrangements for women born in the 1950s who have unfairly suffered the increase to the State Pension Age.
The petition states that as a result of the way in which the 1995 Pension Act and the 2011 Pension Act were implemented, women born on or after 6 April 1951 have had significant changes imposed on them with little or no personal notice. Many women have found themselves having to work much longer, without time to make alternative retirement plans.
This issue has recently been brought to public attention by the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI). WASPI believes in pension equalisation, but does not agree with the unfair way these changes have been implemented, arguing that many women’s retirement plans have been shattered.
Chi recently highlighted how the implementation of these changes has disproportionately affect working class women in a debate in Westminster Hall:
“That is especially the experience of working-class women of that generation, who are more likely to have started work immediately after leaving school at 15, and who are also more likely to be in manual trades, which take a greater toll on the body as it ages.”
For many of these women, being told at short notice that they must work an extra six years has had disastrous effects. This is the reality for many working class women in Newcastle, who have grafted hard for their whole lives – probably since their teens – only to be told they must work longer. These women deserve to have been given notice so that alternative retirement plans could have been made.
In her speech, Chi went on to state that there is a sense of a broken contract between the state and hardworking citizens:
“The failure to give adequate notice means that the changes could not have been planned for. The consequences of many life decisions that WASPI women have taken are now that they face many years of reduced income that they could not have anticipated.”
The Labour Party has called for transitional arrangements for these women and has laid out a fully costed plan to return their eligibility for pension credits to the timetable of the 1995 Act. This petition calls on the government to take action and give these women the fair retirement they deserve.
Great that the waspi campaign is being supported. This is causing a great deal of distress to me personally and women born over this period. We not only worked physically hard to support our families but the mental impact is high with a great deal of anxiety and poverty. Thk you to those who support this and can keep debate fresh and on the agenda for hopefully a positive outcome.
I am very pleased to be joining the many thousands of women travelling to Westminster 8 March so thanks to Chi that she is raising the topic again by petitioning on behalf of her constituency ! Thank you Chi
My husband, at 69, has had to continue working to pay our mortgage as my £324 works pension is insufficient to pay any bills. We have been shafted by consecutive Governments in the name of equality! What equality? Women are still attempting to get equal pay! Women born in the 50’s have never had equality with men!
I will also be joining the thousands of WASPI women in a London tomorrow,I feel strongly about being robbed of my State pension,especially when I have paid into it for 42years and I am being robbed of 4 years 9 months and 22 days ,then I read that International Aid is being paid the help Chinese pension,£150 million being sent abroad to help people stop smoking,I also heard £5million was to pay to help a Somalian girl group get on the music ladder ,and the list goes on …WE PAID IN THEY NEED TO PAY OUT ,and,I would like to thank all MP’s supporting us ,and the great work all WASPI GROUPS are doing
I was born in December 1953. My first letter from the Department of Pensions was five months before my 60th birthday stating my pension would be delayed for two years and i would receive it when I reached 62yrs.
Six months prior to my 62nd birthday I recived yet another letter from DWP that my pension would start when I was 66yrs.
I really don’t think this time is enough to sort my life out as I was already mind set at receiving state pension at 60!
I am now 63years of age 64 in December of this year. Unable to work due to DDD Degenerated Disc Deasease of the spine. I now rely on my husband’s fiancial support.
Not morrally right.
A loss of 38k in six year
I’ve worked since I was 14 part time , put myself through college unaided for the 1st yr , although treating people much of the time the remainder was on less than half the money people on ss got, worked for 22.5 years full time funding my own equipment ,car , business start up costs paying a full time stamp , tax etc from day 1housing myself fully with no help , now I am ill I get a pitence from the Government and although not born in the 50s am not that far off only to find by chance my pension age has been raised 7 years how is this fair or rewarding hard work ?