State Pension age debate

Ahead of a Commons debate today - during which UK Government plans to speed up the raising of the State Pension age to 65 by two years will be discussed, Age Cymru's Campaigns Coordinator Rhea Stevens says:

"Thousands of women across the UK are very concerned and angry about these proposals, which could see them having to work an extra (and unplanned), two years before they are able to claim State Pension.

"Many of the women who are facing an increase to their State Pension age have been working in low paid jobs since they were 15 or 16; some have had to stop working due to health problems; others were counting on retiring to carry out caring responsibilities. 

"They have already had their State Pension age changed once and this latest proposed change is one step too far by the UK Government. 

"Telling these women that they now have to wait up to another two years to collect their State Pension is unfair.
 
"Worryingly, a survey from our sister charity Age UK shows thousands of women simply don't know about the increase to 65, let alone 66.

"This shows the scale of the communications challenge facing UK Government before any more changes are introduced. 

"The UK Government is asking people to plan their retirement, but it's difficult to see how women can plan properly when the UK Government keeps moving the state pension age goalposts.

"Age Cymru is calling on MPs to stop the speeding up of state pension age equalisation for women and not increase it beyond 65 until after 2020."