Should women still get a state pension at 60?

JUSTICE has been done. The Court of Appeal has rejected a bid to overturn the rise in women’s state pension age from 60 to 66. In these days of equality, men and women now receive their pensions at the same age. If the Government had lost the case, men could have sued for discrimination. I have no sympathy for the women who are protesting, who must have known about the proposed changes or just buried their heads in the sand.

ANN HOGARTH, Oldham, Gtr Manchester. I AM saddened that judges have dismissed the appeal against changes to the state pension age for women born in the 1950s. The decision to postpone the pension age for women from 60 to 66 has caused me financial hardship. It is also detrimental to the economy and will cost society more than it saves. If women have to continue working until they are 66, it means there are fewer jobs for younger people at a time when there is a shortage of work. The pressure to continue working can impact on the family. I had hoped to provide childcare for my grandchildren when my daughter returned to work, but this is now impossible. Carrying on working into your 60s can also adversely affect your health. The Government says that if women were reimbursed for the payments they were expecting, it would cost £215 billion. But what are the hidden costs to the economy in terms of mental and physical health and lack of support for families? If women and men could retire at 60, it would release more jobs into the economy, there would be a bigger pool of people to do voluntary and community work and the burden on the NHS would be reduced. Late middle and old age should be a time when we can pass on our wisdom to the younger generation. Society needs to value this resource and not force us to work until we drop.

ROSIE BLAGBURN, Eastbourne, E. Sussex.

AS A man who, of course, did not qualify for the state pension until the age of 65, should I consider taking the Government to court? Feminists demand equality only when it is in their interest. Do they not realise that if the Government was forced to pay them, a much greater number of retired men would be delighted to be paid the same? Keep up the good work, ladies!

D. LLEWELLYN, Ramsey, Isle of Man.