IT was good to see you highlighting the issue of state pensions for women born in the (“Report identifies cash to aid women hit by pension move”, The Herald, September 22) This is a very serious issue for those women and affects in more than 250,000 women in Scotland.
Every government in recent decades has tried to reform state pensions, and it was Margaret Thatcher who started the increase to women’s pension age, resulting in the goalposts being moved for many. This begs the question: why should anyone today engage with government initiatives on pensions, promising them a secure state pension in the future, when many have found to their cost there is no guarantee with the state pension.
The Government’s changes to the basic state pension from £119.30 a week to £155.65 for those with sufficient qualifying years, sounds reasonable, but included in this change is five additional years of work. The only winner is the Exchequer.
The costs highlighted in your article to compensate women born in the 1950s is a drop in the ocean in the big picture of things. The Government should realise the false economy of not compensating those women, as many are now dependent on benefits due to no fault of their own.
Catriona C Clark,
52 Hawthorn Drive, Banknock, Falkirk.
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