AIBU to think that WASPI women should not be entitled to compensation?

[mugglewump]

They've been on the news again marching for compensation in a climate where the government is having to make very difficult decisions about funding to stop our debt ever increasing.

I think there are far more deserving cases for goverment money than women who didn't act on information at the time and sort their pensions out or keep working (p/t or f/t) until retirement age.

Moreover, the people paying this compensation are those who will be working until they are 67 to 70 to claim a state pension. Surely, it's a bit ick to expect them to bail out women who retired at 60?

There is a lot of misinformed nonsense on this thread regarding pensions. The 60 pension age for women had absolutely nothing to do with women being compensated for child birth, having to stay at home, doing double shifts etc, as some keep saying. It was done because previously there was a provision for a married couples pension, but both parties had to be of pensionable age. Many men were older than their wives and this was causing hardship. To alleviate this (and other provisions) women's pension age was reduced under the old age and widows' pensions act 1940 from 65 to to 60.

Of course it isn’t. As women, we need to keep fighting for equality. The best way forward is for us to stand together.

The Government must be delighted to see how divided we are. Strength lies in working together.

Ageism on this site is rife, sadly.

The present government is pretty rotten in almost every respect, but I think the decision not to pay WASPIs compensation is one of the few things they have got right.

The final insult is the Government’s refusal to acknowledge the findings of the Ombudsman and to compensate these women.

They did not refuse to acknowledge the findings of the Ombudsman. They considered the (non-mandatory) recommendations and weighed up the cost implications of paying compensation and decided - not unreasonably - that there are more pressing demands on the public purse.

I agree that the Labour Party was wrong to give the impression, before the General Election, that they would pay compensation if they got into power. As we are finding out now, the Labour Party will say anything to get votes. They don't have to mean it.

However, I think it's time the WASPIs realised that they don't have much public support and their continued campaign is embarrassing and damaging to all of us women of a certain age.

This is a fight against equality in my opinion.

100% agree.

And not sure why the poster is claiming ageism. You can disagree with someone and think their points are completely ignorant without it having anything to do with age. Seems like such a cop out!

I think she is claiming ageism because she thinks all the younger people are against the older people. but in reality a lot of older people like me disagree with compensation. our view is we knew and planned so why shouldnt the other older people

I agree.

The inequality was that men had to wait five years longer for their state pension than women of the same age. This despite the fact that women live longer.

My husband is the same age as the WASPIs. He has always worked hard to provide for his family and has never been the sort of lazy arse husband that some women claim to have.

I don't see any justifiable reason why my husband should be treated less favourably by the state because he is a man and some women have rubbish husbands. I suspect there might be some quite rubbish wives around too.

Women are no more perfect than men.

Reading those reports it looks like the compensation is for the first change, I think people affected by the 2Nd change who had little notice have more to complain about but I still think it's over so move on.

There’s a major difference between sickness benefits and state pension.

It’s ‘over’ because the government have decided not to pay the compensation recommended in the report. This is for one reason only. The demographic affected doesn’t vote labour.

Yeah, they vote for the government that made the changes in the first place.

Doesn’t matter. The general message from the government is ‘fuck you’ !! In exactly the same way as they will enact the changes proposed by the Tories in relation to sickness and disability benefits. Say one thing in opposition and something completely different in government.

Ageism is rife on this site. It’s not a claim, or an opinion, it’s a fact.

Well I'm the demographic involved and I do vote Labour.

Agreed. And this is going to be even more of a problem for younger generations, with the pension age continuing to increase beyond the years at which many will physically be able to work. It doesn't just affect WASPI women (or indeed, just women). Add to that the ever-increasing percentage of people who will still be paying rent/mortgage and you've got a generational timebomb brewing.

Again, this is why all of this "it's a feminist issue, women must support women" falls flat - most of what is being complained of is going to be even worse for younger women, but WASPI supporters act like it's something that only affects them and for which they alone need to be compensated.

"Ageism is rife on this site. It’s not a claim, or an opinion, it’s a fact."

Saying something is a fact does not make it one...

Same here.

More sweeping statements.

I don't know how many times that women my age, 70, have to declare on MN that we didn't fucking vote for the Tories!

Younger people don't like references to avocado on toast and people like me don't like being accused of being Tory voters.

Jeez, talk about divide and rule!

I've a bit of sympathy for the women and men affected by the short notice changes from 65 upwards.

The 60-65 women had plenty of notice, and 95% of them are just jumping on the compensation bandwagon.

I was merely responding in kind to a sweeping statement. Why call mine out?

It was Labour in 2007 who increased state pension age for both sexes in the Pensions Act 2007. So it's not just a Tory policy!

There are several issues at play, here. It isn't that I don't have sympathy for those negatively affected (still struggling with the adamance that anyone didn't know anything at all, since I was an adult in the 90s and you couldn't miss it, along with the general encouragements to younger people to make alternate provision.)

The problem is that a payout wouldn't just be to those negatively affected. It would have to be to all WASPI aged women, many of whom aren't in financial need.

Upthread there was a mention of women living in their cars. Whilst the pension issue will have been a factor, it is highly unlikely to be the sole cause of their predicament. There is other support available to those in that level of need, and those campaigning for what would be, on the recommendation of the ombudsman, a very small payout to individuals, would do better to work on helping those in dire straights to access existing support and, where that support is lacking, campaign for improvements.

Although there is ageism on this site, I think it's rather harsh to claim this thread is an example of it. Whilst some have been dismissive of complaints that the generations who will be paying for this won't see a pension at 67, I think it's a fair point.

I think my generation (x) will be the last to get a state pension at all (as it is, those born after 1970 are looking at 70 before they get anything). This means that there is every chance that possibly millennials and pretty much definitely Gen Z will be the first to be 'paying in' to a scheme they will NEVER benefit from. Is it really reasonable to ask those people not only to do that, but also cough up for an administrative cock up decades before. I can't help feeling that is a little ageist in itself.

And so? How would the government writing to you telling you you had to work til 65 change this?

Really? you know this how? Have you spoken to every woman in that age group? I am in that demographic as are some of my family and social circle and not a single one of us have ever voted Tory and none of us would ever vote Reform and we all voted Remain. I don't go round saying all people younger than me are cappuccino-swilling spend thrifts who are surguically attached to their phones. Obviously, there are truths behind stereotypes but if you have critical thinking skills you see beyond them

I bloody didn't, WE ARE NOT A HOMOGENOUS GROUP . Sorry for the shouty bold caps but I am sick of this mass generalisation on here