Agenda item

“This Council calls upon the Secretary of State for Work & Pensions, The Right Honourable Esther McVey MP, to make fair transitional state pension arrangements for all women born on or after 6th April 1950, who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the State Pension Age (SPA) with lack of appropriate notification.

Hundreds of thousands of women had significant pension changes imposed on them by the Pensions Acts of 1995 and 2011 with little or no personal notification of the changes. Some women had only two years notice of a six-year increase to their state pension age.

Many women born in the 1950's are living in hardship. Retirement plans have been shattered with devastating consequences. Many of these women are already out of the labour market, caring for elderly relatives, providing childcare for grandchildren, or suffer discrimination in the workplace so struggle to find employment. Women born in this decade are suffering financially. These women have worked hard, raised families and paid their tax and national insurance with the expectation that they would be financially secure when reaching 60. It is not the pension age itself that is in dispute - it is widely accepted that women and men should retire at the same time. The issue is that the rise in the women's state pension age has been too rapid and has happened without sufficient notice being given to the women affected, leaving women with no time to make alternative arrangements.

Therefore this Council calls upon the Government to reconsider transitional arrangements for women born on or after 6th April 1950, so that women do not live in hardship due to pension changes they were not told about until it was too late to make alternative arrangements.”

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16.1, a Motion was submitted by Councillor Pat Haith and Seconded by Councillor Sue McGuinness:-

“This Council calls upon the Secretary of State for Work & Pensions, The Right Honourable Esther McVey MP, to make fair transitional state pension arrangements for all women born on or after 6th April 1950, who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the State Pension Age (SPA) with lack of appropriate notification.

Hundreds of thousands of women had significant pension changes imposed on them by the Pensions Acts of 1995 and 2011 with little or no personal notification of the changes. Some women had only two years notice of a six-year increase to their state pension age.

Many women born in the 1950s are living in hardship. Retirement plans have been shattered with devastating consequences. Many of these women are already out of the labour market, caring for elderly relatives, providing childcare for grandchildren, or suffer discrimination in the workplace so struggle to find employment. Women born in this decade are suffering financially. These women have worked hard, raised families and paid their tax and national insurance with the expectation that they would be financially secure when reaching 60. It is not the pension age itself that is in dispute; it is widely accepted that women and men should retire at the same time. The issue is that the rise in the women's state pension age has been too rapid and has happened without sufficient notice being given to the women affected, leaving women with no time to make alternative arrangements.

Therefore this Council calls upon the Government to reconsider transitional arrangements for women born on or after 6th April 1950, so that women do not live in hardship due to pension changes they were not told about until it was too late to make alternative arrangements.”

The Chair afforded all Members in the Chamber the opportunity to speak on the Motion.

A vote was taken on the Motion proposed by Councillor Pat Haith, which was declared as follows:-

For - 47 

Against - 0 

Abstain - 0 

On being put to the meeting, the Motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED that this Council calls upon the Secretary of State for Work & Pensions, The Right Honourable Esther McVey MP, to make fair transitional state pension arrangements for all women born on or after 6th April 1950, who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the State Pension Age (SPA) with lack of appropriate notification.

Hundreds of thousands of women had significant pension changes imposed on them by the Pensions Acts of 1995 and 2011 with little or no personal notification of the changes. Some women had only two years notice of a six-year increase to their state pension age.

Many women born in the 1950s are living in hardship. Retirement plans have been shattered with devastating consequences. Many of these women are already out of the labour market, caring for elderly relatives, providing childcare for grandchildren, or suffer discrimination in the workplace so struggle to find employment. Women born in this decade are suffering financially. These women have worked hard, raised families and paid their tax and national insurance with the expectation that they would be financially secure when reaching 60. It is not the pension age itself that is in dispute - it is widely accepted that women and men should retire at the same time. The issue is that the rise in the women's state pension age has been too rapid and has happened without sufficient notice being given to the women affected, leaving women with no time to make alternative arrangements.

Therefore this Council calls upon the Government to reconsider transitional arrangements for women born on or after 6th April 1950, so that women do not live in hardship due to pension changes they were not told about until it was too late to make alternative arrangements.