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.

[butterflysugarbaby]

I am in total agreement with @longwayoff there ^

But I also think everyone should be able to retire at 55.

If they want to!

I know I am living in a Utopian fantasy world, but it's nice here.

[StopCloudSeeding]

My pension is not a benefit, it is my money, deducted from my salary since I started work age 16.

I was never informed about these changes, as were many of us, so I had no chance to make other arrangements.

It is not equal. What about those of us who gave up jobs/careers to bring up a family? What about men who benefit from company/private pensions? Benefits not afforded to most women.

[StopCloudSeeding]

Apologies if most of this has been said, I've not read all the thread.

I won't get my pension until I am over 66

I am currently employed as a carer. It's hard to get a good job as an older woman. I started work at 8.45 on Saturday and didn't get home until after 10 pm. I started on Sunday at 8am. I'm exhausted but I have to do the hours to earn enough to live on. That said I'm deep in debt and I don't know how much longer I can carry on.

I have no choices in life. I can't choose a holiday destination, I can't afford a holiday. I can't choose which restaurant I d like to go to because I can't afford it. Some days I don't eat more than a packet of crisps.

It's cruel and heartless. Our pensions are the lowest of the EU countries.

There is some hope. Currently closed for now but there is a FB group called '63 is the new 60' who are trying to negotiate a compromise with the gov. And Michael Manson QC is acting on our behalf.

Please support us. It won't benefit us now but it gives some younger ladies some improvement in this dire situation.

[Girlsnightin]

With reference to the OP, the ladies mentioned have chosen to have mortgages beyond 60.
The idea of a mortgage is to pay it off over 25 years so you are payment free by retirement.
What were they thinking having this still in place?
Life does need to be planned, particularly retirement. Otherwise you end up in precisely this situation.

[Satsumaeater]

Why is it unfair for women to work until they are 66 but not men?

If we want equality we've got it.

I'm envious of the women who got to retire at 60 on decent pensions. I won't.

However, I don't think we should retire early to make jobs for the young, we all need to eat and keep a roof over our heads and pensions are ridiculously low if you don't have a final salary scheme.

[Girlsnightin]

The rise of the pension age did not cause the above. With mortgages in place it's highly likely they'd still need to work beyond 60.

[longwayoff]

Thanks stopcloud, will do. Women are getting a particularly bad deal across the board at the moment so its good to see some resistance.

[longwayoff]

Satsuma. It is not equality at all although it initially may appearto be so.

[BumDisease]

At least they'll get to retire. I'm 33 and doubt I'll be afforded that luxury.

[BarnabyBungle]

Men and women should have the same state pension age and it shouldn't be over 65 for anyone.

The pension age was set at 65 (for men) when life expectancy was about that age.... Life expectancy has increased... so should pensions.

Of all the things we should be spending money on as a country, reducing the pension age while life expectancy increases isn’t one of them!

[BarnabyBungle]

longwayoff

So your argument seems to boil down to “women should have a lower pension age as some men are shits”.

[BarnabyBungle]

We paid for them under terms that have been subsequently changed.

But women paid their NI at the same rate as men . It’s not like they paid a higher rate on the understanding they would be able to retire early?!

[fanfan18]

Who wants to be retired for 30 years though, I definitely don't want to retire at 66 and then not die until 96 - what a bore!

We all live so much longer now that something's got to give. If I had to work until 75 to guarantee my parents get state pension i'd be in straight away.

[longwayoff]

No barnaby that is not what I'm saying. I am saying that over a working life, women, generalising, have more biological events going on that men do not. These events have physical consequences that may affect womens health. Further the majority of childcare etc is still in womens hands. These facts have bugger all to do with whether some men are shits although adding a shit man to the mix probably would not be helpful.

[jay55]

My mum was able to take early retirement at 62, she died a year later. Seeing the same in many of her friends, too many funerals, too many of my dads friends widowed relatively young.

[longwayoff]

Im sorry jay, I hope things get easier for you.

[Ch0cBr0wnie2]

MissSue - do you have a pension for yourself ? Have you checked your state pension entitlement to see how you are expected to receive and when ? Do you have private pension or savings ? All before paying a pension before for your children

[Doobigetta]

I feel very sorry for anyone having to do a physical job past 60. But on the other hand I’ve seen my parents and inlaws retire from professional jobs at 60, and basically bounce around with not enough to do ever since. They’re still perfectly capable of working, they can just afford not to. So they fill the gaps between holidays and U3A courses with more holidays, and tbh I do find it hard not to resent it when it’s a choice my generation and the next won’t have. It’s just SO uneven- in all likelihood they’ll get 30 years of retirement, and we’ll be lucky to get 10.

[BonnieF]

@longwayoff

All together now sisters! What do we want?

Equality!

When do we want it?

Only when it suits us!

[longwayoff]

Cheers bonnie. Better when it suits us than when it suits other people as in what passes for it now.

[MissSueFlay]

@Ch0cBr0wnie2 yes I have a private pension that I started (after much nagging from my mother) at the age of 23 when I started my first proper job. I have continued to work full time since then (so I expect I'll get a state pension), and have benefited from generous employer contributions over the years. It's looking ok, but I'm still shocked at just how much you need to have saved up to maintain the lifestyle you would like. I have savings too, joint with DH and my own.

I pay into DDs pension out of my money because I think it's important and I'm taking a long-term view for her. I don't get my nails done and I don't buy coffee from Starbucks, I do this instead.

[Rosered1235]

I have sympathy for those women BUT equality demands that men and women retire at the same age and we are living longer generally and so it makes sense to raise the retirement age to reflect that.

What I think we do need in this country is a complete rethink about how we work. We should be moving towards shorter working weeks to allow employees to balance childcare/elderly care commitments, study or ill health/disability. We should look for opportunties for job shares across levels of seniority. Flexible working requests should be accepted unless it is unreasonable for the business to accommodate the changes. That would help employees to keep working for longer as they age.

[LucheroTena]

We need to think about how we plan for people working later in life.

I think very physical jobs such as nursing, policing, building, gardening, for example, are going to be impossible for many people to do in older age. As are jobs that require excellent reflexes, eyesight, physicality. Some people will also find that their mental abilities become less sharp. We also need to ensure there are opportunities for young people to work.

I do think years of unemployment in retirement are not necessarily good for people’s mental and physical health.

I think when people get to an age where they can no longer fulfil the requirements of their job there is an option to use their skills in other paid ways. There are lots of opportunities to utilise semi retirees in community roles. So that people can work close to home, in roles that may suit them, and be paid.

[AllDayBreakfast]

Yippee. When can we women give the responsibility of growing new humans to men?

When you can build a shed and mow the lawn.

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

If the Tories stay in power, everyone will be working till they are 90!

Don't be ridiculous - it won't be everyone. Only those who aren't/weren't Tory MPs....