Public Meetings

Kate Harvey

Please find below a message from Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP, and RSVP for the two upcoming public meetings he is hosting for women in the Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven constituency born in the 1950s and affected by pension changes.

Please only RSVP for one of the events, and when you register, consider including a personal message about how the changes have affected you, as well as letting us know if you’re happy for us to keep you informed about this issue going forward.

Brighton meeting (21st April, 11.30am-12.30pm)
Peacehaven meeting (21st April, 2.00pm-3.00pm)

A word from Lloyd:

“I’m deeply unhappy that many women born in the 1950’s are quietly being expected to work longer, including a member of my family born in April 1954.

Many of the women affected received limited notification of the increase and some women received no notification at all. I know that these changes have caused a great deal of uncertainty for women who were planning for their retirement and in many cases, it has caused them financial hardship.

There is now a national campaign called WASPI, Women Against State Pension Inequality; www.waspi.co.uk. It has local groups which you may want to consider joining.

I’m keen to help on this issue; I have attended the All-Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension Inequality for Women and I have signed Early Day Motion 63 on the subject.

I am calling two public meetings on Saturday 21st April for the women in my parliamentary constituency who are affected. I have arranged one in the east and one in the west, to try and give everyone the opportunity to attend. There will be a chance for us all to plan what we do next.

I am also keen to hear your stories of how these changes will impact you so that I can use some of them in parliament whenever this issue is raised, in particular; there is the 2nd Reading of the Pensions (Review of Women’s Arrangements No.2) Bill on 27th April.

Please RSVP to book your place at one of the meetings, and use the ‘contact the organiser’ section to let me know whether you want me to keep you updated on this important issue and also do consider letting me know the personal impact these changes will have on you.  

I look forward to hopefully seeing you at one of the meetings – I’m determined to help raise and tackle this injustice.” – Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP.

17 responses to “Public Meetings”

  1. Michele Cudworth avatar
    Michele Cudworth

    Hi Russell,
    Thank you for taking up this issue. I do realise that time is short before your meeting on 27th April, but having both meetings on the same day, means I cannot come to either as I am away that weekend.

    I was born in 1955, so I am half way through this imposed working time. I was made redundant at 58 years of age and have been very fortunate to keep working through personal recommendations. However, it was abundantly clear at any interview I attended that irrespective of my personal skills, knowledge and qualifications, employers felt it would be a risk to employ an older person.

    It’s also the case that I do help to care for my older relatives, to take the strain from the NHS.
    I would love to spend more time with my 90 year old Mum, but I am still working.

    Maybe I should have been more informed or saved up for a better private pension, to cope with the five year extension and then to add insult to injury a further year was added.

    I really do believe in equal rights and that men and women should have the same retirement age,
    I also understand the age was moved because many young people were not contributing to the NIC system until they completed university at 21+. I have been in constant employment and paid NIC since I was 18 and I have never claimed any benefit whatsoever.
    So, I hope the government can use my (£160 x 52 x 6 years) £49,920 plus my current 12% NIC contributions for 6 years, very wisely indeed.

    Thank you once again for providing a platform for women to speak.

    Kind Regards,

    Reply
  2. Kirstan Romanis Simpson avatar
    Kirstan Romanis Simpson

    Live west Saltdean but booked at Peacehaven for meeting.
    I want to be kept informed about this issue (impact of changes to SP Age).

    Reply
  3. Sandra Flockhart avatar
    Sandra Flockhart

    Unfortunately I am unable to make either of the meetings, but I would like to be kept informed.

    Reply
  4. Sally Attwood avatar
    Sally Attwood

    Lewes WASPI have heard that the 2nd reading of the Bill is NOT going to be heard on April 27th. It appears to have been withdrawn – presumably by the proposer? I am deeply unhappy about this, as it seems to feed into the Government’s desire to delay and keep at bay meeting the just demands of the WASPi women.

    Reply
    1. Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP avatar
      Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP

      Dear Sally,

      I absolutely share your deep disappointment that the Second Reading is not as soon as we hoped, but I now understand that this is for a good reason.

      Whilst a date can be set for a Second Reading of a bill, unfortunately that doesn’t mean it will be read that day. There are long lists of bills for that day and usually only a couple get read, and if it isn’t yours, it gets a different date but put on the end of the list (effectively the back of the queue), which tends to lead to it never getting a Second Reading. That’s why coming high in the Private Members ballot is an advantage, because you’re near the front of the queue, meaning your bill is more likely to get a fair hearing and get read in the allotted time. My understanding is that the proposers of the bill have chosen to postpone the Second Reading until the summer, when we anticipate the list will be longer, and the chances of us getting a Second Reading are higher.

      Furthermore, it gives us more time to raise awareness and get more people involved in piling on the pressure on this government to address this injustice.

      I am eagerly anticipating the Second Reading in the Summer, and I hope with sustained campaigning and lobbying of the government, we can pass Carolyn Harris MP’s excellent bill.

      Thanks again for getting in touch.
      Lloyd

      Reply
  5. Helen Dalzell avatar
    Helen Dalzell

    Thankyou for the letter concerning WASPI, unfortunatly I cannot attend either meeting but would like to be kept updated,as I am in this age bracket.
    The “contact the organiser” link does not appear to be working,so pleasekeep me informed.
    All the best, Helen.

    Reply
    1. Nathan Phillips avatar
      Nathan Phillips

      Dear Helen,

      Thank you for getting in touch. We’ve found that the link has been working for most but some have had issues so we’ve been encouraging people to try using a different device or browser (chrome, internet explorer, safari etc.). But nonetheless, we will of course keep you informed going forward.

      Best,
      Nathan Phillips
      Office of Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP

      Reply
  6. Mary McPherson avatar
    Mary McPherson

    Please keep me informed about issues going forward.

    Reply
  7. Sonia Scott avatar
    Sonia Scott

    I am unable to attend the meeting regarding women’s pensions but wanted to comment on how it has affected me personally. I am a 63 year old woman who has worked in full time employment from the age of 15, only taking a break of 14 months from mid pregnancy to return to work when my daughter was 9 months old to support us both.

    I have recently found out that the business I work for is to close, so redundancy is looming. Therefore, because of the pension changes and having to work to 66, instead of being able to stop work now and enjoy retirement, I find myself in the position of having to seek work again.
    Not an easy task in the current climate! I have reached a time in life where I am tired of having to work full time and run a home around this and want to enjoy more free time. I have a small NHS pension which was to help a little for me do this, but it appears this may now be needed to help support me if a new job is hard to find!

    Reply
  8. Teresa Head avatar
    Teresa Head

    I am unable to attend a meeting as I will be working, but I don’t remember receiving any letters regarding the increase in States Pension Age.
    I would like to be updated regarding this, thanking you.

    Reply
  9. Toni Stevens avatar
    Toni Stevens

    I am sorry to say that I wont be able to attend your meeting on 21.4.18 but would like to say being one of the many woman born in the 50s I feel very strongly about the retirement age. In order to bring up children many of us worked part time; due to this we were not able to ensure we could contribute enough to a company pension scheme even if one was available to enable us to still retire at 60 without a state pension. Many of my friends fall into this category and we all feel that we have been cheated, as had we been able to plan ahead we would not now find ourselves in this position and feel let down as many of us have full National Insurance contributions that appear to account for nothing.

    I feel that the increases were not introduced in a fair manner.

    I feel that if another petition was formed that you would receive enough support as this has now become a reality for many woman of my age.

    Reply
  10. Jillian Ridley avatar
    Jillian Ridley

    I am 59. Most recently I worked as an Associate Lecturer at the University of Kent in Canterbury. The remuneration was hourly paid, term-time only, and with no pension provision. We moved to Brighton for family reasons. I had, therefore, been keenly anticipating my State pension at the age of 60. Under the new legislation this has been postponed for seven years. As a result I shall have to find some alternative employment to try to make up for the loss of the £45,000 – £50,000 that my pension would have provided over these seven years. This seems horribly unjust.
    Thank you for doing your utmost to help me and so many other women in similar predicaments.

    Reply
  11. Sarah avatar
    Sarah

    Like the other’s postings I am affected by this change.
    I unable to attend the meetings but please keep me posted.
    Thanks for your support

    Reply
  12. Hilary Carroll avatar
    Hilary Carroll

    I am not able to attend either meeting but would like to be kept informed about the progress of this. I took early retirement from the Civil Service 3 years ago as I am the main carer for my Dad and if I could have had my State pension at 60 this would have helped no end. Thank you for doing what you are to help.

    Reply
  13. Kate Marshall avatar
    Kate Marshall

    Unfortunately I am away this weekend, so cannot attend either meeting, but would like to be kept informed of any development.

    I finally receive my pension at the end of this year, after having had my pensionable age changed twice and my husband is a year and a half younger than me, so he doesn’t recieve his pension ’til he’s 66. This means we both still have to work ’til then – I’ll be 68. It’s too late for any change for me, but would still like to see other women benefit from any positive action. Actually, could I (and 20,000 other women) not sue the government for money which is rightfully ours? If it were Legal & General (or the like) there would have been heads rolling…

    Good luck with it all

    Reply
  14. Wendy Guest avatar
    Wendy Guest

    I’m sorry not to be able to attend the meeting- but please keep me informed. I was born in 1954, and am having to work much longer than I intended. Although I enjoy my work it is poorly paid, as I have been ( like many women) for most of my life, having been in the caring professions and bringing up a child on my own.
    Thank you for your support

    Reply
  15. Vince Hodges avatar
    Vince Hodges

    Hi Russell,

    Really appreciate you taking up this issue.

    My wife was diagnosed with a severe degenerative neurological illness several years ago while still caring for our two young children and was therefore unable to claim ESA. Unable to go back to work herself, I both cared for her full time and acted as the main parent to our children. But I was also the main breadwinner and have to work full time as well as carers allowance would in no way cover our basic outgoings. Her state pension, which she would have drawn two years ago, would have meant that I could cut down and improve the quality of both our lives. Now we have to carry on for another four years and she will very probably never draw it at all on account of her condition.

    Many thanks again. Would have loved to have participated but just not possible.

    Reply

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