SPA restitution

I am making the case for 50’s born women who have had their state pension denied to them until they reach 66+ years. Many of us are continuing to work in frontline services to earn a living,we are classed by the WHO as vulnerable to COVID-19. Universal Basic Income would help many if not most of us to leave these posts and make way for the younger generation,who ,after all are going to be facing mass unemployment when we get to the ‘new’ normal. It would make even more sense,re the above,just to reinstate us with our taken pensions we paid into for 40+years As I don’t see UBI being on the present Tory governments agenda I recently retired from the NHS after working for 43 years as a staff nurse,I ended up becoming burned out,went off sick with extreme anxiety and depression,not to mention arthritis caused by years of lifting and laying,I made the difficult decision not to go back and I retired when I was 60. I could only make this decision as I had my NHS pension,otherwise I would have had to return to work and through my experiences I am sure I would have had a nervous breakdown...However,my pension just covers all my outgoings like rent etc,I am not entitled to Any benefits so I am rapidly eating into my savings,I don’t know what I will do in the coming months and years until I get my (lower rate) state pension in 2024.

Why the contribution is important

My idea is important to provide a safety net for the physical and mental wellbeing of vulnerable members of our society,who worked hard and are still(having to) work hard. Many of us are living in poverty and/or depending on handouts from family and friends,or having to stay in or return to jobs which we are frankly not fit to do,-and are more At Risk now due to the Covid-19 pandemic. There seems to be plenty of money getting thrown at big businesses etc and furloughing,which I do agree with to help keep working people with a job but it seems as if we are a forgotten entity,and this has been hugely magnified in these present circumstances.

by robbieroo on May 06, 2020 at 10:13PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.0
Based on: 12 votes

Comments

  • Posted by BUTEMACS May 06, 2020 at 23:01

    well said totally agree it's such a shame it has taken this crisis to show where our priorities should lie & appreciate certain professions that deserve a lot better.

  • Posted by LauraCowan May 07, 2020 at 00:15

    Absolutely agree, women are more fragile physically post menopause and many work in caring roles as well as supporting families in caring roles, we can not be there to care for everyone and not expect an impact on our health. Age 60 retirement for women needs reinstated.

  • Posted by Eallan May 07, 2020 at 07:26

    I'm sorry I do not agree. I was married in 1994 and I can remember hearing the pension age was increasing for women. I'll not even put down my own anticipated pension age as I expect it will increase again.

  • Posted by WBRnotes May 07, 2020 at 21:02

    All 1950s women affected by the SPA Acts of 1995 and 2011 deserve restitution. As has been said many times those Acts were about equalising SPA NOT about equality. If the women affected were at least given the right to claim their pension now (and in fairness the SP they have already lost) then it would provide a safety net for those who have perhaps lost their jobs at this time or for those for whom going back to work safely is questionable at a time when it's clear that the older you are, the more likely you are to be hospitalised if you get Covid-19 and if you are hospitalised, the older you are, the more likely it is that the outcome will not be good - at least as far as I understand the statistics we have to date. We really shouldn't have to be suggesting this route 'to help us out'. We should already have our SP - especially as we were told there was no money to provide it when clearly there was.
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