Pensions
In 2018, women in the EU aged over 65 received a pension that was on average 30% lower than that of men. Women already had smaller pensions – but now lockdown has hit women’s pensions hard, as their pensions have shrunk on average 17.5 percent compared to just 5.7 percent for men during the pandemic. This is a serious inequality that has been turbocharged by the pandemic.
How would you work to build alliances to highlight and tackle this and do you support the WASPI Women?
I will engage directly with the organisers of the WASPI women who are fighting for justice for the 6.4% of women between the ages of 60 to 62 who have lost up to £32 a week due to insufficient notice to changes in the State Pension Age. I will do all I can to support their call and campaign for a transitional state pension arrangement and compensation for loss of income.
5. cleo Lake 60 wc
Yes, I do support WASPI Women and I also support the case for better support for older women to work where they need and want to. I would work with Green Party Women and other campaign groups and take action on their advice including, for example, supporting related motions to go through local councils and further lobbying on the matter.
5. Amelia Womack 99 wc
I am proud to have marched with WASPI women several times. I have talked with women who have had a lifetime of promises broken. I ensured that our last General Election manifesto pushed for UBI to be given to WASPI women first, as it was a clear way to tackle the change in state pension in a rapid way relevant to Green Party policy. We need to continue to fight for the rights of women to receive the pensions that they were promised and to end the unfairness of the current system which results in women receiving smaller pensions..
sian Berry & jonathan bartley 102wc
We give our full support for the WASPI women and Jonathan has met with the campaigners and backed their campaign in the media and in lobbying for change. This generation of women face multiple threats and it can often be forgotten that not every person who grew up in the 50s and 60s is a wealthy retiree, with women disproportionately among those trying to live on low incomes in this age bracket. Sian has worked in London to highlight the plight of older renters, supporting Age UK in this work, as another example of the problems faced by this generation of women.
5.Rosie Sexton 104wc
Yes; I think it's unjust that many women have had their pension age pushed back with little notice. They are now suffering a second time for the inequalities that existed in the workplace during their working life. The pandemic has certainly made things worse, and it seems likely that the economic challenges the country is now facing will only compound this further. I think Caroline Lucas has been doing some excellent work on this particular issue, and I'd certainly want the national party to support that work, and to look for specific policies we can push for to ease the burden on those struggling.
5. Andrea Carey Fuller 130wc
I support the Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign for economic justice and equal rights.
- It would be better to set a good standard State pension rate across the board which ensures that no pensioner lives in poverty - look to best practice with those countries that are said to have the best pensions in the World - Netherlands, Denmark and Australia:
https://www.iamexpat.nl/expat-info/dutch-expat-news/netherlands-pension-system-yet-again-best-world
So I would campaign with AGE UK to get the State Pension uplifted - the current State pension works out at only just over £9K per year yet to live comfortably a single pensioner needs double that to nearly £20k per year and a couple would need about £30K per year.
Age UK provide great support and information about pensions and obtaining pension rights:
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/pensions/state-pension/new-state-pension/