To feel sorry for women having to work till they're 66

[lazylab]

I have 2 friends, one 60 the other 61 who are just so tired and worn out. The 60 year old works full time in a factory, she's totally shatttered at the end of her shift. Basically they're just desperate for retirement, but no chance of that till they're 66. Both these women are single, still paying mortgages, one of them earning fairly good money but the other is basically working just to live, can't afford luxuries or holidays etc. It's just soul destroying. These are just two examples of the plight of those affected by the changes to pension age.

Working full time as a young woman is definitely not the same once you hit 60, the body struggles to cope. I realise it's the same for men too, especially the ones doing physical jobs.
Sorry if it sounds like i'm moaning, but isn't life just shit for some people.

[BunsyGirl]

It's a crazy world isn't it. All those baby boomers who retired at 50 on final salary pensions but are still receiving their winter fuel allowance paid for people who will probably never be able to afford to retire...but look at the abuse the Tory's got when they tried to change that!

[Minaktinga]

By the time I'm 66 retirement age will probably be like 500 😆

[lazylab]

I agree Verbenagirl as usual it will have been ill thought out. There'll be a knock on effect. Grandparents doing childcare is definitely a factor they won't have considered. There will also be a bigger demand on the NHS.......oh but the NHS will be just a distant memory......
Sorry for being such a bright spark, what a ray of sunshine i am.

[fullofhope03]

I'll be 55 next month, work in a physically demanding job and am absolutely exhausted. There's no way I will be able to retire early - will have to go on until I drop. The way I'm feeling, it won't be long!

[fullofhope03]

hks - Thank God for all the grandparents who look after they're grandchildren! What would most of us do without them?

[Squeegle]

I'm 51, I already work in a field where I am seen as abut of a dinosaur. It does worry me. And ideally I would be very happy to start working a few less hours and having a bit less money - but companies don't seem to work like that. I do think the government can do more to allow more flexible working hours for older people.

[Blossomdeary]

I have several friends who had their retirements all planned out and have been watching the date for their state pension slide further and further into the distance. I really feel for them. I was lucky to just slide under the wire and was able to retire at 60. Thank goodness I did - OH now has PD and I fell from a boat and suffered breakages that have buggered my mobility. No way could either of us worked on much past the time we did.

Personally I would not want to have brain surgery from a surgeon who was elderly; or to be a teacher struggling on after 60. The theory of later retirement makes sense, but sadly not everyone remains as fit as they might have wished.

[Blossomdeary]

Oh yes - and I care for grandchildren while my DD works; and I run the village library (cuts ended the library van); and sit on the school governing body.... most of my friends who are retired similarly contribute to their communities. Who will do these things if we have to work till we drop?

I also feel that there will be a lot of sickness benefits going out when folk get unwell as they age - might as well pay the pension and have done with it.

[user1471545174]

So true, Blossomdeary.

[FormerlyFrikadela01]

God knows what our kids will do for childcare. If it wasn't for my mil my DP would have to quit work, it's not even a money thing, there's just no such thing as childcare in my area that fits around NHS shifts that me and DP do. Thank God she could afford to retire early, mostly due to fil fantastic NHS pension (he gets more a month than I do working) plus he still works.
Grandparents really do prop up the work force and it's looking more like they won't be able to in the future.

[StealthPolarBear]

Why would she quit work?

[Oldsu]

Once again this thread has gone the way of countless others when it comes to pensioners and soon to be pensioners.

Its either all BB's and pensioners have huge final salary pensions and are living the lifestyle that young workers can only dream about (in which case they are paying tax)

OR their pensions are being paid for only by the contributions of the poor young workers in which case all of them are only on a small pension under the tax threshold and no longer contributing

So which is it, it cant be both can it?

[FormerlyFrikadela01]

Why would she quit work?

If that's in response to me... HE would have to quit because I have vastly more earning potential than him and the trust we both work for are fuckers when it comes to Flexi working agreements to work around families. Besides even if we were on an even keel career wise he'd still prefer to stay home with DS. We're looking at him hopefully going part time once we've moved to take the strain of Mil.

[StealthPolarBear]

Oh sorry the "she" who could retire early was mil.
My mistake

[Vicky1990]

Thanks to the feminist we are all going to suffer, we have equality but has it done society any good, i think not sisters.

[StealthPolarBear]

If you think you're suffering because of feminism you are deluded

[BoomBoomsCousin]

Vicky it's done me loads of good. I have a degree, work history and financial security I'd be highly unlikely to have if I'd been born decades earlier and able to retire at 60 but probably having paid the married woman's stamp and not even being entitled to much of a pension anyway.

[sparechange]

Thanks to the feminist we are all going to suffer, we have equality but has it done society any good, i think not sisters.

I know. I curse every single day that I've been allowed to run marathons, use contraception, own my own house and have my own bank accounts.

And don't even get me STARTED on being allowed to work while pregnant, and then getting full pay maternity leave. It's a disgrace, all of it

[StealthPolarBear]

And those women who used to be raped, but knew there was no point in complaining because it wasn't a crime at all...

[Babbitywabbit]

Can't believe those who are bemoaning feminism as the cause of all evil!

Look- we are perfectly capable of working for as long as men do.
Also - this is about the state pension which is a fairly paltry amount to live on anyway. Women need to take responsibility for themselves and pay into a decent private pension. A really high proportion of women are underprepared financially for their older age. Stop expecting that famous 'someone else' (whether that be the state or a bloke) to sort it out for you

And btw I'm not some stereotypical raging feminist- I'm just a normal married women with 3 kids; I work full time and wouldn't even consider reducing to part time hours until I know I'll be happy with what my private pension will provide. It's just so unrealistic and short sighted to play the 'oh poor little woman' card and bleat that it's unfair to have to work as much as men do

[Ghanagirl]

TittyGolightly
I agree as equality is such a lovely sentiment but in reality women get pregnant and in most cases take time off in first year.
I know there's a very vocal group of SAHD's
On mumsnet but it's definitely not the norm!
I'm speaking as middle class north Londoner!

[AnnabelC]

I know from friends that there are few jobs for the over sixties. So unless you manage to keep your job or have a private pension. Or partner with a job or a private pension. One will struggle. I understand more over sixty women are divorcing.

[falange]

You're assuming that getting a state pension at 60 means every woman could retire then. I'm 56 have a private pension which is small, have worked pretty much full time since 16 (few years off to be a sahm) but have a mortgage to pay until I'm 66. My state pension will come at 67. No way I could give up work until after then but believe me I wish I could. I'm tired from a very stressful job and I want to look after my grandchild. I worry that I'll die before I can retire.

[Babbitywabbit]

'I agree as equality is such a lovely sentiment but in reality women get pregnant and in most cases take time off in first year.'

But taking maternity leave doesn't affect your pension. If you choose to take time out of the work place as well as maternity leave then yes, it will affect it- but that would be true for men as well if they decide to have time out

[hotsfor]

All these pension threads are really interesting ... but they ALL come down to starting pensions as soon as you start working. (Though they rarely segue into back-to-front feminism bashing arguments...!!?) We focus too much on state pension age and too little on steady savings throughout your working life... I read the other day that we are saving about 1% of take home pay as a country, whereas Germany save 8-10%.

Anyway... I intend to drum the savings habit into my children.

If you earn minimum wage though - this is what the state should be spending on. Not sure if the UK can afford an unearned income across the board (I forget what this policy is called??)

Bloody hard.