High Court pensions ruling for older women

Age Cymru disappointed with High Court pensions ruling for older women.

Age Cymru is disappointed that today’s High Court ruling on the rise of the pension age for women from 60 to 65 means that State Pension age changes are still having a serious impact upon women born in the early 1950s. The High Court concluded that: “There was no direct discrimination on grounds of sex, because this legislation does not treat women less favourably than men in law. Rather it equalises a historic asymmetry between men and women and thereby corrects historic direct discrimination against men."

Age Cymru’s Policy and Campaigns Manager, Dr Valerie Billingham, said “We recognise that as life expectancy increases, it is reasonable to consider extending working lives. However, not everyone can carry on working. It is essential that any future changes are introduced in a way which gives people sufficient time to plan adequately for the future.

“We believe that ten years’ notice of a change should be a minimum requirement. Critically many women due to reach State Pension age in the latter half of this decade have received far less notice than this, and the Government should seriously consider further transitional arrangements to help this group.”

Ends.