UK State Pension for 1950s born Women

Hi all...in an earlier thread I asked a question about "what money the British government had given the Poles etc"...This question has not been answered and in my research I cannot find a reference to such a event. The Polish Government did reduce their State Pension age limit because they had made a manifesto promise to do so should they be elected...Of course they were elected and honoured their commitment. That said I fully support Women in the various campaigns...its not that its wrong that Women should retire at an age comparable with Men its that some form of staged payment should have been proffered to enable life plans etc to be met. Good luck with your campaigns.

I was born in 1955 and reached 60 just 3 years ago and would have had full basic pension. I live in Quesada and don’t have any private pensions so I retired at 60 as planned, sold my house in England and moved to Spain as planned....living off the proceeds. The idea that the English government gave my pension funds to Poland who in turn reduced their women’s pension age back to 60 infuriates me....

I'd be awfully, awfully grateful if someone could point out which part of the UK budget goes to pay for Poland's pension payments. Really ,really would. After all, I don't recall the Chancellor standing up at the last budget and saying he was going to increase taxes in UK to pay for Poland to reduce the pension age of women. And nothing in the EU budget, either, that says any money is going to be paid for pensions in any of the EU countries.
Pension payments cost the UK 160 billion quid a year which is more than it spends on the NHS.
There are loads of "supposed" injustices. For example, I was in the forces and my wife accompanied me abroad for most of my service and couldn't pay into NI or get any credits. The government changed the rules and any wife of a serviceman can now claim credits for time spent abroad with their serving husband. Unfortunately, only for those born after 1953 and my wife was born in 1950 so dips out on that and now gets a pension based on my NI payments of about 70 quid a week instead of the 155 quid all you lot will get.
But the paying for Poland to reduce their age limit really is .....well... words fail me.

Don't be infuriated Jakmob, the comment about the UK paying for Poland to reduce its pension age to 60 is bunkum, which is probably why the person who posted that comment hasn't been able to post a verifiable source. More Brexit propaganda from one of the Red Tops no doubt.....

As usual, Marcliff is spot on. Pension provision costs governments a fortune and people are living longer, so working longer and continuing to contribute to the 'pot' is the only way it's not going to be exhausted. In this respect, whatever age is decided as the State retirement age, it should apply to both men and women. Where the UK government has fallen down is by making changes with little notice and poor communication. The 'injustice' I've suffered is to be told that, having served 30 years in the RAF and having made 43 years full NI contributions, the UK Government decided last year that military pensions would be re-classified as "contracted out" of the State Pension, so now I have 2 years shortfall in NI contributions. I spoke to the NI department and they said that I could pay £1,500 to make up the "shortfall", but if it turns out that their calculations are wrong and I've overpaid, they won't refund the overpayment. Unbelieveable!

Found this article to quell rumours of UK funding Polish retirement age

Poland lowers retirement age, amid economic slowdown

Associated Press
Nov. 16, 2016, 10:06 AM 86
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WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland's lawmakers voted Wednesday to lower the retirement age in a reversal of a 2012 reform, despite questions about financing of the new system.

The lower house voted 262-149 with 19 abstentions to allow women to retire at the age of 60 and men at 65, as of October 2017.

Under the current system the threshold is being gradually raised to 67 for both sexes. In introducing it, the previous government argued that Poles, in an aging nation, need to work longer to secure themselves a sufficient level of pensions.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Beata Szydlo assured that there are enough state funds for earlier pensions, chiefly coming from more efficient tax collection.


"Our government has kept the promise and we will continue to implement the reforms that Poles are waiting for," Szydlo said in Parliament before the vote.

Lowering the retirement age was a key electoral promise of the conservative Law and Justice party, which took power a year ago and is pursuing a policy of social benefits. Latest data show a slowing of the economy and a weakening of the local currency, the zloty.

But economists say the plan isn't viable.

"Poland cannot afford it," said Christopher A. Hartwell, president of the Center for Social and Economic Research.

"I don't know where the government is going to get the money for this," he said, skeptical about the government relying on higher income from tax.

He said the move is "popular" and makes "fiscal sense," but doesn't make economic sense.

And Spain is increasing its pension age to 67 (already 65 and a half for both men and women).
Germany 65 and 3 months rising to 67 for both men and women
Belgium both 65 rising to 67
Denmark both 65 rising to 67
and so on and so on. Unless they've all increased their pension ages to allow Poland to reduce theirs I can't really see the point.

Spanish people can work forever Marcliff with all the time they get off, fiestas, siester, red days, hollidays. Why retire.

there are still people who will be solely reliable on their state pension ,through no fault of there own been in a low paid job,have,nt had the chance to contribute to a private pension due to family commitments, wereas people with a works, government ,forces pension etc will be very fortunate to collect two monthly pension albeit a bit latter in life,
when I left school and started work you were told retired at 65, now its 67 for me , the goverments changed the rules to subsidise todays pensioners,but by looking round are enjoying life, two homes one in uk one here ,two cars one uk one here,and probarly 2 pensions state and private,,so the picture appears, on the other hand there are pensioners who sold up in uk moved here to spain thinking there pension would go further when the exchange rate was 145€ to the pound,and their life would be easier,not everything is fair in life ,there are haves and the have nots,unfortunatly ,and petioning goverments signing this and that wont work,the decision has been made bye powers greater than the ordinary working person who it affects, the decisions are made bye big businesses ,bankers and pension companies with all the big boys in government, their pension are not affected I bet,and if they are they can ride it out as they have enough money and assets under their belts.

hobnob wrote:Hi...could you point me in the direction of some detail regarding the British government giving money to Poland to help the Poles reduce their retirement age for Women. I am interested in writing a piece for a magazine.

Hello

Did you get the information you requested ? I'm still trying to find out if this is true.

Hi Sylvia...No Sylvia the information never materialised...I suspect that it is just another False news item used to tarnish a particular group by people who seem to believe any rubbish they are fed. He ho that's life.