LETTERS – Pushing up pension age is wrong

Government policy makers must dismiss new proposals to raise the retirement age to 71 as a fix all for the UK’s ageing population.
The National Pensioner’s Convention believes pushing up the age we can claim our State Pension so high will make things worse not better.
It would considerably add to the 2.1 million pensioners, one in five, already living in poverty and condemn even more to miserable retirement, as well as increase pressure on already struggling public services.
Like former Pensions Minister Ros Altman, we think the suggestion from the International Longevity Centre would be unconscionable and only favours higher income groups. Especially so in the light of two new reports that show how current State Pensions provide well below the minimum income needed to cover a person’s basic needs.
NPC general secretary, Jan Shortt said: “It is time government policymakers sat down with public, private and third sector groups to develop a new, holistic plan to ensure nobody falls into poverty as they age in our country, one of the richest in the world.
“Although the number of people living longer has been rising, the number of those living with ill health and therefore not able to work longer, is also rising. So, making them wait to claim their pension for even longer would only increase poverty, and the demand on already creaking services such as health and care.”
It is not enough to say the country can’t afford the pensions bill for an ageing population, the nation won’t be able to afford an epidemic of elder poverty and illness in the next decade if they do nothing. That’s why we agree with Baroness Altmann who says the government “policy must consider other ways to save money to ensure greater fairness and flexibility in future.”
It is wrong to assume every pensioner gets the new top rate weekly pension of £203.85 a week, rising to £221.20 from April. Most retirees, especially women, are on the older, lower rate, or less. Even if they qualify for entitlements like housing benefit, or have small occupational pensions, their income still cannot keep pace with the rising costs.
The NPC is already calling for the next scheduled retirement age increases to be shelved, with our 68 is Too Late campaign. At present, the UK pension age of 66 is set to rise to 67 between May 2026 and March 2028. From 2044, it is expected to rise to 68. Today there are almost 11 million people aged 65 and over, 19 per cent or nearly one in five of the total population.
Only the top ten per cent of the UK population stay healthy to their early 70s.
Cutting costs by making unwell workers wait longer, favours the well pensioned higher paid. The State Pension is part of every worker’s social contract. Pension Credit rules should be relaxed too. State Pension policy is a political choice.
There has to be a better way.
Rodney Sadd
Crowland
Supporter of the NPC