Calling WASPI Women!

Jenny_Aster

Women Against State Pension Inadequacies - there maybe women on this forum that were born in the 1950's and feel they have lost out on state pension. 

"After many complaints from women born in the 1950s about how the change had affected them an investigation was carried out that concluded, last summer, that the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) was “inadequate” in its communications with women impacted by the changes.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) review found “failings” in the way the DWP communicated from 2005 onwards."

“WASPI is calling for fair and fast compensation for all women born in the 1950s affected by the maladministration the DWP already found by the Ombudsman.”

"In the latest update, an important date has been shared, putting a time limit on how long that new review is likely to take.

The PHSO said: “We have asked the DWP to send us further evidence by the end of March 2022.

“We cannot progress stage two of the investigation without that evidence.”

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/waspi-women-delighted-over-state-6718655.amp?gaa_at=la&gaa_n=AYc4yssgwrJ1GrbAFGSleCMITfNcIgVKm63M-q7aywFKYS71r0nq88uxeBoJbsHBgD0=&utm_source=newsshowcase&utm_medium=discover&utm_campaign=nonpanel&gaa_ts=6219dfb2&gaa_sig=OxTc9MLv_3_WcZKM9WQq1gnPHpDCu9GCYsJV12YoF1QSpwqa0dp_vQru3hS44pSfajNsNf-IzmW2jQaFnr6Z3g==

Fairygirl

That's great news @Jenny_Aster. The whole thing was a disgrace.
My sister missed it by a few weeks, then they changed the age yet again.   

Jenny_Aster

Yes, it appears 1950s women were an easy target to balance the books.

Most of our working lives many of us were 'sort of' content with working for a much lower salary than men, that was because we thought things would balance out in the end as women retired five years earlier than men. We were duped.

Fairygirl

Absolutely 

Liriodendron

Agreed.  I got off relatively lightly, having to wait an extra 3 years before I was entitled to my pension - but my good buddy at work had to wait until she was 67.  OK, the books had to be balanced, but we were given no time to plan for the change.

Jenny_Aster

The DWP said they'd warned us, but I haven't met one 1950s woman that even thought of planning. Even the 'pension investment industry' who's marketing is very astute, missed the opportunity to offer a 'top-up pension scheme'. I believe this legislation went through using stealth - sharp practice.

Fairygirl

Can you imagine the outcry if it had been men's pensions that were being changed in that way? 

punkdoc

This man supports you.

Jenny_Aster

Remember when I was working in the 70s as a shorthand typist, a few of us from the 'typing pool' had a meeting with the company's TUC union rep as our pay was falling way behind the male clerks. We were told not to rock the boat as legislation was coming in for equal pay. Well that was a lie, at the time there were no male shorthand typists to get 'equal pay' with . 

Funny as you get older, these memories 'itch'.

philippasmith2

There was also the question of those women during that period who because they happened to be married, were denied unemplyment benefit when they lost their jobs simply because they were married. 
Even in the late '70's, women applying for jobs were routinely questioned about the possibility of becoming pregnant and therefore requiring maternity leave, etc. There was never any question about one's ability to do the job applied for - simply you were the wrong sex.  I can still picture the fat Bank manager who once interviewed me - I asked if he had children ?  He replied in the affirmative.  I told him I had no intention of having children - that was just another black mark on my application ! 
There is still a lot to sort out re equality of the sexes but it does at least seem to have moved on a bit since then.  It could of course also be that sexism is simply more hidden these days ?   

Yviestevie

I've had to wait until I was 66.  Will get my state pension this year, but I have had to cash in my small private pension to get us through the last 6 years.  It's a disgrace.  God knows how those that haven't had any private pension have managed.