Work and Pensions Committee Report Calls For Transitional Pension Arrangements

Following the publication of the House of Common’s Work and Pensions Committee report on Communication of the State Pension Age Changes, Mhairi Black MP, who played a key role in securing the recommendation that the UK government should introduce transitional measures for women born in the 1950s and affected by increases to the state pension age, has commented:

“Tomorrow the Chancellor must look to the women born in the 1950s who have had their retirement plans shattered by rises to the state pension age.

“The UK government should commit to spending more money on transitional arrangements, but as we can guess the Chancellor's arrogance and obsession with austerity will likely prevail, the very least he can do is to take heed of the committee's recommendation and look into allowing women to draw their pensions earlier.

“These women were not given adequate time to financially plan and it is time for the Tories to swallow their pride and admit that these women have been treated horrendously at the hands of the UK government.

“The committee’s recommendation further underlines calls from the SNP for greater support for the women impacted by these changes and I pay tribute to those involved in the WASPI campaign who have fought tirelessly to bring this issue to the fore."

Ian Blackford MP, SNP spokesperson for Pensions, added:

“With tax breaks for high earners on the one hand but no support for 1950s-born women who are suffering pension inequality on the other, the Chancellor has his priorities all wrong.

 “I urge the George Osborne to take on board the recommendations of the Work and Pensions committee report and to look again at the unfairness faced by WASPI women.”

“The SNP agrees with pension equalization, but we do not support the deeply unfair manner in which these changes have been made and it is high time these women received their pensions.” 

ABC: You can find a copy of the report below: