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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think 71 is too old for state pension age?

976 replies

winterwonder1 · 10/02/2025 16:16

This isn't just for people who are 21 now - that's for people born after 1970 - so 55 now. I can't imagine being fit enough to do my job at 71.
DWP State Pension age will have to rise to 71 says report | News Shopper

DWP State Pension age will have to rise to 71, new report says

New research suggests that workers born after April 1970 will not reach UK State Pension age until they are 71

https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/national/uk-today/24923959.dwp-state-pension-age-will-rise-71-says-report/

OP posts:
Thread gallery
10
FairCat · 10/02/2025 18:07

Duckinahat · 10/02/2025 16:23

You’re supposed to save up to retire early. State pension is not supposed to fund years of retirement. That would be very expensive.

Pensions should be funded by NI contributions. They're sustainable if NI is properly ringfenced and invested but UK governments run a Ponzi scheme, they spend your NI and pass the burden to future generations.

It sort of works if the population and economy keep growing. It fails when birthrate falls and the economy stagnates.

It's not pensioner's fault that government failed to manage the funding crisis that it's irresponsible policy led to.

Gwenhwyfar · 10/02/2025 18:07

ChompandaGrazia · 10/02/2025 17:56

I remember when I was a student there was a lad who had started paying into a pension at 18. Oh how we laughed. I’m so envious now.

Ha ha. We had one who had a mobile phone in 1995. We called him the yuppie.

ringsandthings · 10/02/2025 18:07

Fucking hell, that's preposterous. My Mum died at 73. DH's Mum was 61. How fucking unfair that you pay your NI contributions all your life and then don't get your money back. What a bloody con.

JoyousGreyOrca · 10/02/2025 18:08

Duckinahat · 10/02/2025 16:23

You’re supposed to save up to retire early. State pension is not supposed to fund years of retirement. That would be very expensive.

Realistically you have to be well off to afford to do that

wipeywipe · 10/02/2025 18:08

This idea that everyone in their 50s is sitting on a golden nest egg is laughable.

@Meadowfinch I never said otherwise.

ChompandaGrazia · 10/02/2025 18:08

Meadowfinch · 10/02/2025 18:05

@wipeywipe Yes, some people had workplace pensions, IBM, M&S, public sector etc, but compulsory workplace pensions only came in to place in 2018. A huge number of employees of small companies have nothing but the state pension.

This idea that everyone in their 50s is sitting on a golden nest egg is laughable.

I worked for a number of large retail companies but didn’t get a pension before I started teaching in 2007.

OldChinaJug · 10/02/2025 18:09

This idea that everyone in their 50s is sitting on a golden nest egg is laughable.

Quite.

Especially when the next generation of adults to retire (the ones included in this group) will include those who haven't enjoyed free higher education or houses that could he bought with 3x a single salary.

JoyousGreyOrca · 10/02/2025 18:09

Parents on both sides of our family were all dead within a few years of this retirement age. So work till you drop.

KrisAkabusi · 10/02/2025 18:10

I voted you are being unreasonable because this is an unrequested report from a small (15 people work there!) think thanks. It is not government policy, it has not been compiled for the DWP, let alone published by them. It's just a small group's opinion, nothing more.

Unpaidviewer · 10/02/2025 18:10

Gwenhwyfar · 10/02/2025 17:40

What does it matter whose fault it is. Yes, it's true I lived my life rather than just eat bread and water to be able to have a private pension. I just would not have been able to afford it during most of my life.

My point is that it is your responsibility. We've all been aware for years that the current model is unsustainable and we will have to work for longer.

Rainplops · 10/02/2025 18:10

wipeywipe · 10/02/2025 17:59

@Rainplops encourage it. The west will be fighting over the youth. Portugal are looking at tax exemptions for the young etc. I am
doing the same for mine. Yes, it makes it shitter here but.

I am.

MoosakaWithFries · 10/02/2025 18:10

I really don't understand the reliance on state pension.

If you want to retire at a reasonable age and not have the age you recieve state pension dictated to you by the government, make other arrangements. It's pretty simple.

wipeywipe · 10/02/2025 18:11

Especially when the next generation of adults to retire (the ones included in this group) will include those who haven't enjoyed free higher education or houses that could he bought with 3x a single salary.

Which is worse again for the generations below them so the idea that "it's ok, they have years to plan for their state pension age moving out" is not going to wash.

Cuffi · 10/02/2025 18:11

I know the average age is rising, but there are still families who never make it to their mid 60s. It's not lifestyle (smoking, drinking), being in the wrong place at the wrong time (car accidents)

A friend's husband and his family all died 63-66 from cardiac arrests. His grandparents had 10 children who had 45-50 children between them. Only two of friend's DH's cousins are still alive and they are the youngest two. Think they are 58.

Isseywith2witchycats · 10/02/2025 18:12

Im 68 so currently I do get the state pension (last two years) but in the last year one place I worked at closed down and my other job went kaput as well so I would be 68 with no wages and no chance of getting another full time job at my age , so I would be in the position of trying to live on nothing as my partner is already retired and over the threshold for me to be able to claim anything , not a pleasant prospect , I already got stuck in the working 6 more years due to being born in the 1950s

wipeywipe · 10/02/2025 18:12

If you want to retire at a reasonable age and not have the age you recieve state pension dictated to you by the government, make other arrangements. It's pretty simple.

Simples!

Wingedharpy · 10/02/2025 18:13

MoosakaWithFries · 10/02/2025 18:10

I really don't understand the reliance on state pension.

If you want to retire at a reasonable age and not have the age you recieve state pension dictated to you by the government, make other arrangements. It's pretty simple.

And, if you do retire and only have the state pension to fund your retirement, it will be a very limited and frugal life you'll be living.

oakleaffy · 10/02/2025 18:16

hairbearbunches · 10/02/2025 16:48

Something has got to give. 1970 onwards is pretty much all of Gen X.

Those final salary boomer pensions, which had all but been withdrawn when Gen X got into the jobs market, ought to be enough to live on. We should be means testing pension NOW. if you're on almost 100k a year from a final salary pension, you don't need a state pension as well. Anything over £75k and the state pension should be tapered off. That demographic are having their cake right now whilst the rest of us have to continue working for longer and longer. to subsidise their antartica cruises expeditions on effing Hurtigruten. Enough!

The 'boomer'' and before them, the ''silent'' generation had it all! free university tuition, Grants {not needed to be paid back} great NHS, cheap housing in real terms, retired at 60 if female, 65 if male.
Big house near Richmond Park £10,000 in 1971

MidnightMeltdown · 10/02/2025 18:17

Yes it's much too old. You won't get any retirement time while you still have the energy to do things.

I think 65 should be the max.

Isseywith2witchycats · 10/02/2025 18:17

@MoosakaWithFries its not always that simple my partners pension total at retirement was £350000 that equates to £16000 a year taxable (as he gets state pension too ) so not a huge amount of money to live on luckily mortgage free due to him taking pension drawdown but if we had to pay rent that would be over half of his pension just in rent alone , so state and private pension would still only be £16000a year

Lavenderflower · 10/02/2025 18:17

It definitely too old - I plan to go on benefits before getting my pension. I am not working until I am 71.

OswaldCobblepot · 10/02/2025 18:17

MoosakaWithFries · 10/02/2025 18:10

I really don't understand the reliance on state pension.

If you want to retire at a reasonable age and not have the age you recieve state pension dictated to you by the government, make other arrangements. It's pretty simple.

You really don't understand that some people can't afford to save a significant enough pension pot to make them not rely on state pension? Are you generally so lacking in imagination?

Luddite26 · 10/02/2025 18:18

KrisAkabusi · 10/02/2025 18:10

I voted you are being unreasonable because this is an unrequested report from a small (15 people work there!) think thanks. It is not government policy, it has not been compiled for the DWP, let alone published by them. It's just a small group's opinion, nothing more.

It will happen. I have no retirement plans. This is what I expect and I will work till I can't. when we can't afford to live if we are both still alive we have a double suicide plan.
My grandparents retired in 1988 age 65 and lived till they were 86 and 90.
Old age pension was only meant to see you through a couple of years of a little crest before you died not 25 plus years.

JoyousGreyOrca · 10/02/2025 18:20

Luddite26 · 10/02/2025 18:18

It will happen. I have no retirement plans. This is what I expect and I will work till I can't. when we can't afford to live if we are both still alive we have a double suicide plan.
My grandparents retired in 1988 age 65 and lived till they were 86 and 90.
Old age pension was only meant to see you through a couple of years of a little crest before you died not 25 plus years.

They were very lucky. They lived above life expectancy. My mum died at 75, my dad at 73.