Should Fifties-born women have to wait years longer for their state pension?

MANY thanks to the Mail for its excellent coverage of the appalling injustice of the rise in the women’s state pension age from 60. For many who had carefully budgeted for retirement, this is a hammer blow. There is also a knock-on effect for their husbands, who may find themselves looking for parttime work to help fund a couple’s financial shortfall. It is an insult to say women should have known about the change when the publicity was inadequate. Most of the women did not receive a letter outlining the changes. Simply setting up a website was not acceptable. PAUL STOCKBURN, Copt Hewick, N. Yorks. WHAT planet have the women who brought the pensions court case been living on? I am 69 and knew about the changes in my 50s. I agree the speed at which the changes were brought forward was upsetting, but this is what equality is all about. GAIL CAGE, Cheshire.

DON’T confuse the BackTo60 group with WASPI. BackTo60 wants a reversion of the age at which pensions are paid. WASPI understands the reason for raising the state pension age. It simply asks for an interim payment for those given insufficient notice of the change to the pension age. I had four years’ notice, but know women who received as little as 18 months. KAREN CARTWRIGHT, Redditch, Worcs. TOO many people adopt the ‘nobody told me’ attitude. We have to accept personal responsibility for keeping up to date with legislation and not expect to be spoon fed. I am not affected, but I knew all about the changes because I read about them in the Mail. LINDA SHERIDAN, York. I UNDERSTAND that for women to be treated equally, there is a need to fall in line with the male state pension age. What I can’t understand is how someone from the same academic school year, who paid tax and National Insurance from the same date we left school, can claim her state pension two years and eight months earlier than me. The difference is that she was born in September 1953 and I am penalised for being born in August 1954. Name and address supplied. I STRONGLY believe everyone should be treated equally, so am surprised that women are complaining to the courts about being treated equally with men with regards to the state pension. G. JARVIS, Manchester. THE court ruling is a disgrace. Women are an easy target for a Government desperate to save money. I am in my late 50s and am worn out, but will have to work until I’m 67. Most women and men of this age are torn between caring for elderly parents and grandchildren. How are we expected to hold down a full-time job as well? S. SMITH, Manchester.