State pension is an entitlement

Sir, William Crossan (Letters, October 7) mentioned that women born in the 1950s have been told their pensions are unaffordable.

These women are the most affected by the move for equality in the state pension age, despite not enjoying equal pay throughout most of their lives, not benefiting from maternity rights and excluded from occupational pension schemes if they worked part-time.

Although the first change in their state pension age happened in 1995, the few who were written to did not receive letters until 14 years later; many were not informed at all.

The Department for Work and Pensions’ website itself was not updated until the beginning of this year, even though there was subsequent legislation in 2011 which extended the age at which people could retire to beyond 65.

This maladministration has left many women in financially compromised situations, expecting to retire at 60 but unable to do so. The state pension is an entitlement, not a benefit, and the government’s actuary report on the National Insurance fund issued in January 2016 projects that by April 2021 the fund will have a balance of £58 billion.

Setting aside the working balance requirement, there will still be a surplus in excess of £39 billion. Using this money to make transitional arrangements for these women may free up jobs for younger people, help many women with fulfilling caring responsibilities and prevent the need for them to use benefits such as jobseekers’ allowance paid from general taxes.

There are approximately 4,590 women in Argyll and Bute who are affected by the 2011 Act alone. Some of those may be aware of WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality), a group seeking to address this issue. Indeed, many have signed e-petitions or the paper petition submitted by a supportive Brendan O’Hara MP. Those who were unaware may like to become involved.

Karen Murphy, Carradale.