The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Women join demo against increase in pensionable age
An estimated 4,200 women in Banff-Buchan area alone affected
North- east women affected by the rising pension age have visited the Houses of Parliament to put pressure on the UK Government to look again at the changes.
An estimated 4,200 women in the Banff and Buchan area alone are affected by the move, which means they will not be eligible for their pensions until they turn 66.
The age at which women qualify for the state pension is in the process of rising from 60 to 65 by November 2018, with the exact date depending on the month they were born.
Between October 2018 and October 2020, both
“I want to be able to spend time doing the things I planned”
men and women's state pension age will increase to 66.
And between 2026 and 2028, it will rise again to 67. Further rises will be linked to life expectancy.
Around 140 Women Against State Pension Inequality ( Waspi) groups now exist throughout the UK.
They lobby on behalf of those born in the 1950s who are losing thousands of pounds in pension payments without having much time to plan for their new retirement dates.
Thousands of members of the campaign went to Westminster to protest against the changes, which will affect an estimated 2million- plus women around the UK.
Among those representing the north-east at the demonstration were Olive Sharpe, 61, and Georgia Skinner, 62.
Ms Sharpe, who is currently looking for a new job, set up a Banff and Buchan Waspi group after she found out about the rising retirement age.
She said: “The rise in age had a real psychological effect on me, knowing I was going to be working for so much longer than planned.
“When I got the first letter in 2010 I had no idea what the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) was but was told I would be retiring in 10 years’ time not five.
“I then discovered in 2012 from another letter it would be an additional year on top of that.
“It changes your complete outlook – the plans you had and what you were going to do.”
The Banff and Buchan Waspi group now has a dozen members and is steadily growing.
Ms Skinner, who works in the IT department at Aberdeen shire Council, got involved about two years ago.
“I only discovered the impact this would have on me on social media,” Ms Skinner, said, adding: “I had no idea before what was going on.
“I was quite shocked to find the rise in age was six years. We want the government to know we aren’t going away.
“In my current job, I’m carrying around heavy equipment and I get tired easily. I want to be able to spend time withmy grandkids and my family.
“I love to craft too. I want to be able to spend time doing things the way I had planned.
“Now I am making my voice heard and government should know all the women affected by this are going to make some noise.” Banff and Buchan SNP MP Eilidh Whiteford, who has previously raised the issue in parliament, said: “Olive and Georgia have, alongside many other women affected by this change, been working hard to highlight this issue.
“There are many women who were simply unaware of the changes and almost half a million who had only a year’s notice to change their retirement plans.”