WePaidInYouPayOut began as a campaign group mainly on the subject that we all pay into the National Insurance system from the age of 16 to qualify for certain benefits and state pension.
We paid in, but the government decided not to pay out, at the time of joining the NI scheme women's pension age was 60, but instead of paying out at our expected pensionable age and around halfway through our working lives government changed the goalposts and decided we should wait a further 5 years before we could collect our pension. We are the 1950's women, we are just the start of the pension scandal, everyone is now seeing an increase of pension age up to 68.
In 1995 government changed the law, now that seems a long time ago and a long time to begin campaigns and possibly make alternative arrangements but information at the time was sketchy and misleading and the government failed to notify us personally of a change which would have a massive affect on our future lives and our finances. Apparently there were debates in the house of commons about equalising women's pension age, because they felt that men reaching retirement age 5 years later than women was unfair, three options were put on the table, all retire at 60, meet in the middle at 63 or women's pension age to be increased to 65, the latter was agreed putting women at a disadvantage. This would happen in 2020.
The government didn't take into consideration the inequality women suffered in the home, the workplace and in society as a whole, women were regarded as the home maker, taking career breaks to bring up their children, looking after their elderly relatives, lower pay than men, being sacked for being pregnant, lack of opportunities in the boardroom and perks such as occupational pensions, women worked part time hours around their childcare and home responsibilities and didn't have a chance to build up a pension pot as they were not invited to take part in occupational pensions until very late on in life and at the time didn't earn enough to afford a private pension.
Men always knew throughout their working life they would retire at 65 or earlier if they had a nice pension pot, they could also claim pension credit at 60 if they were unable to continue to work full time. Women also planned for their future ensuring they made their contributions to the National Insurance scheme, but they were unaware that their pension age would change and were also unaware that the law had indeed changed due to lack of communication from governments, many didn't find out about this until 1-2 years before their expected pension age, when there was little they could do to make alternative arrangements.
In 2011 the law changed again adding a further year to men's and women's pension ages and by 2020 we would retire at 66, due to a 'sharp increase in life expectancy'. Again this had not been communicated.
We believe that we have been unfairly treated, the 5 year pension age increase was squashed into 4 birth years, this was not tapered at all, this was a sudden 5, then 6 year increase in one fell swoop, women of our age are tired, many of us have age-related health conditions, we are struggling to continue to work, others are going to food-banks whilst others are down the job centre seeking work they will never get as they compete with the youngsters, and they face sanctions if they don't comply to the rules of a 35 hour a week job-search and attend meetings with their work coaches.
Women's pension age has been 60 since way back in the 1940's we had no idea that things would change so drastically and so quickly towards the end of our working life.
This is why we have this group, to campaign against this unfairness and also raise awareness that this issue actually affects everyone, man, woman and indeed their children as they embark on paying their way in society, paying National Insurance for their state pension which is being increased rapidly.
We paid in, but the government decided not to pay out, at the time of joining the NI scheme women's pension age was 60, but instead of paying out at our expected pensionable age and around halfway through our working lives government changed the goalposts and decided we should wait a further 5 years before we could collect our pension. We are the 1950's women, we are just the start of the pension scandal, everyone is now seeing an increase of pension age up to 68.
In 1995 government changed the law, now that seems a long time ago and a long time to begin campaigns and possibly make alternative arrangements but information at the time was sketchy and misleading and the government failed to notify us personally of a change which would have a massive affect on our future lives and our finances. Apparently there were debates in the house of commons about equalising women's pension age, because they felt that men reaching retirement age 5 years later than women was unfair, three options were put on the table, all retire at 60, meet in the middle at 63 or women's pension age to be increased to 65, the latter was agreed putting women at a disadvantage. This would happen in 2020.
The government didn't take into consideration the inequality women suffered in the home, the workplace and in society as a whole, women were regarded as the home maker, taking career breaks to bring up their children, looking after their elderly relatives, lower pay than men, being sacked for being pregnant, lack of opportunities in the boardroom and perks such as occupational pensions, women worked part time hours around their childcare and home responsibilities and didn't have a chance to build up a pension pot as they were not invited to take part in occupational pensions until very late on in life and at the time didn't earn enough to afford a private pension.
Men always knew throughout their working life they would retire at 65 or earlier if they had a nice pension pot, they could also claim pension credit at 60 if they were unable to continue to work full time. Women also planned for their future ensuring they made their contributions to the National Insurance scheme, but they were unaware that their pension age would change and were also unaware that the law had indeed changed due to lack of communication from governments, many didn't find out about this until 1-2 years before their expected pension age, when there was little they could do to make alternative arrangements.
In 2011 the law changed again adding a further year to men's and women's pension ages and by 2020 we would retire at 66, due to a 'sharp increase in life expectancy'. Again this had not been communicated.
We believe that we have been unfairly treated, the 5 year pension age increase was squashed into 4 birth years, this was not tapered at all, this was a sudden 5, then 6 year increase in one fell swoop, women of our age are tired, many of us have age-related health conditions, we are struggling to continue to work, others are going to food-banks whilst others are down the job centre seeking work they will never get as they compete with the youngsters, and they face sanctions if they don't comply to the rules of a 35 hour a week job-search and attend meetings with their work coaches.
Women's pension age has been 60 since way back in the 1940's we had no idea that things would change so drastically and so quickly towards the end of our working life.
This is why we have this group, to campaign against this unfairness and also raise awareness that this issue actually affects everyone, man, woman and indeed their children as they embark on paying their way in society, paying National Insurance for their state pension which is being increased rapidly.