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My 67-year-old grandmother, who juggles temporary work, says she is facing the double whammy of losing her pension eligibility due to the change in the age at which she begins receiving the national pension.
Newcastle resident Marion Williams said: I The cost of living crisis made her life difficult and she had “no choice” but to work numerous jobs to make ends meet.
Mr Williams, who has two sons and two grandchildren, is among the 3.8 million people born in the 1950s who were affected by the change in the state pension age, which was raised from 60 to 66 without proper warning. She is one of Waspi (women who oppose inequality in state pensions).
“I’m 67 now, so I’m in receipt of the state pension, but in the six years I’ve been paying National Insurance since I was 17, I’ve missed out on £54,000,” she said.
“This is not true, because as a woman I have spent my working life earning less than men, and at the time there was a culture in which women were expected to be taken care of by their husbands.
“I never received any information that my state pension age would change from 60 to 66. That amount was £54,000 that I was entitled to and will never get back. ”
“The £2,000 to £3,000 compensation they are offering Waspi women is a joke compared to what we have lost.”
Ms. Williams worked as a middle school teacher for 12 years before severe migraines forced her to resign.
she said I Because she was just over the threshold, she was unable to take advantage of the Pension Credit Scheme, which provides extra money to people on low incomes.
If you are of pension age, you can claim Pension Credit if your weekly income is less than £218.15 for a single person or £332.95 for a married couple.
“I started my life as a teacher, but my migraines made my job very difficult, so I had to quit teaching, even though I loved it,” she explained. .
“My pension from my teaching career is very small, around £3,000 a year.”
After leaving teaching, Ms. Williams worked in a variety of jobs, including with a charity and as an education software advisor. She currently works as an MP and is also a local councilor for Newcastle. She receives a parliamentary allowance, which she uses to pay for her parliamentary-related expenses, but all of it counts as income.
“I’m now receiving a state pension, but I still have to work to cover my living expenses,” she says.
Because many of her jobs were temporary roles, she was unable to join her workplace’s pension scheme. She set up a private pension and tried to put £50 a month into it, which she said was impossible some months given her other living expenses.
As a result, her total pension, excluding her teacher’s pension, is only £10,000. She claims her financial adviser told her she needed a pension of around £250,000 to retire on good terms.
“I live in a listed flat and about six years ago I was hit with a £16,000 roof repair bill that wiped out my savings,” she said. .
“The apartment itself has a large block of single glazed windows as we have a gas boiler at the back and need ventilation for the pilot light. We have had it for 6 years as it is cold even though we are only heating the air outside. I couldn’t turn on the heat, so when it’s cold I sit here wrapped in a gown.”
Ms Williams is keen to raise awareness of the gender disparity in pensions and believes there should be a National Aging Commissioner to advocate for older people like her.
“There are so many differences across the country when it comes to wealth and poverty among older people, and MPs have different views depending on their region.
“When you hear stories about the South, the reality here is very different. When you travel to the North, you better have a passport because it can be like another country.
“But the commissioner for seniors will have the time to put together and patch together all the things we need to do at the national level to make sure our voices are heard.”
Independent Age, a charity supporting older people facing financial hardship, on Monday launched a petition with more than 37,000 signatures calling for the creation of a Commissioner for Older People and Aging in England. handed over to Downing Street.
Morgan Vine, influential policy director at Independent Age, said: “Many older people who are economically disadvantaged feel ignored and their voices and experiences are not heard.” He says he feels that he is not reflected in society.
“There is a harmful myth that everyone is financially secure in retirement, but in reality, in an independent age, many people live in poverty and make dangerous budget cuts because they have no other choice. We’re talking to thousands of low-income seniors who are.
“Like Marion, they suffer from high utility bills or are forced to skip meals to make rent. , we know that we are not even receiving the Social Security payments that we should be receiving. This cannot continue.
“The Commissioner for Seniors and Aging will be an independent advocate amplifying the voices of all seniors.
“They will work to facilitate the acquisition of important economic rights that are dangerously underrepresented. They will listen to the experiences of older people, including those that are rarely heard, and will We will work together across the board to create joint solutions to problems that matter to us all.
“By 2040, one in four people is expected to be over 65 and our society is not ready for that change. He will work for people and ensure that their voices are heard later in life.”