Hi all

Re pensions.

I’ve worked as a teacher all of my working life. Secure job, good pension promise etc etc, I was made redundant twice because of staff reductions to save money and due to not so brilliant health ( type 1 diabetes since the age of 8), I decided to take phased retirement at 55. It seemed a good option at that time. I was working on average a 70 hour week with my teaching commitment, planning, preparation and marking. I often got to school at 6.30 am and left no earlier than 6 pm and weekends as well. I know we have long holidays some of you will say but I worked a lot of those. I worked in a large primary school where many children arrived with English as a second sometimes third language. It was tough but I loved it but  it became increasingly difficult to keep up that pace. So I thought I would take some of my pension and work part time until I was 60 then claim the rest of my pension and state pension. Sorted........ not!

I had committed to phased retirement when the government upped retirement age for women to 65. All was manageable as I could still get my work pension at 60 and state pens at 62 10 months, so I officially retired just before my 60 th birthday. Sorted....not!

Then the government upped pensionable age to 67 so I now get my state pension at 65 4 months. Due May 2019, I’ve now found out I won’t get a full pension even though I’ve got the requisite number of years because I had a final salary work pension and although I paid full national insurance my employer the government, paid less than the standard.  Luckily  up until my cancer diagnosis in April 2018 I was able to work some days supply teaching to boost my income. I still had to work despite health issues but at least I could choose when.What’s the use in making plans, if the goal posts constantly change. :-(

I’m just hoping that nothing changes before May but I’m not holding my breath!  Fortunately with my husband’s work pension we are able to survive without our state pensions.....at the moment. He doesn’t get his state pension until January 2020. I feel so sorry for others in the same situation who do not have such good works pensions.

Apologies. Rant over....I guess you can see it’s a bit of a sore point!

Sundial

Hi Sundial

its awful isn’t it.....I have really struggled with other health issues before this and I had no idea until I heard it on Facebook WASPI that the pension age was raised again for women, I should have got mine at 60 then it was 64y 3m now it’s 65y 8m. Worked all my adult life with short breaks for having babies ...3.... and in those days you couldn’t join a pension scheme if you were part time which I did when the children were young but worked full time before and after. I was really miffed when I heard that a man in my school year who was 65 in October got his state pension and I have to wait until 2020....we started work at the same time....wheres the equality in that! Awwww my rant over too...just glad to be alive and have a loving family xxx

hoping the goal posts don’t get moved again for all of us :)

Xxx

Eee ladies we have a right t b miffed re pension. 

How the heck were we supposed to plan. I thought we were supposed to have 10yrs warning but... I believed the letters the dpt of works nd pensions sent at 6yrs t pension that I would get at 60. 2 yrs later (4 yrs t pension) I’d get st 62 then blow me 2 yrs t pension....actually u will b 66. No wonder we r miffed. They did not give me 10 yrs t plan!

ah Sundial I feel your additional pain on the not getting full state pension. In the March( yr of my retirement) u needed 25 yrs of paying in -  in the April that was changed to 35. 

Now I have 44yrs but........ I too was in a job that I was opted out due to works pension. I knew at time it could affect pension but cos only needed 25 yrs ( at the time) I knew I would b fine...... not so much now it’s gone up to 35 yrs. I too am now short of 4yrs to get full pension.  

I’m 4 yrs short. However ( anyone out there in same boat)  ... my daughter who has lil ones automatically gets her yrs added ( as indeed I did for the yrs I had my kids) ... think up to the age of 16. She also works..what she can( and does do) is give me her extra contributions she pays ( cos she both gets them automatically and pays in so double). Can b back dated but just till I retired. So I have 1 yrs currently added to mine. They do it a yr behind to make sure she has her full yrs first. So I’m 3 yrs short instead of 4 now. Hopefully all being well I will get this for the next 3 yrs and hopefully get full pension. 

Anyone with children and working full time can do this. 

I mean 44 yrs working but not enough for pension sheesh. 

My son in laws aunt ( who is a lovely lady) has never worked ( on grounds of ill health) she will automatically get full pension and will continue to get her benefits too. Lovely lady but again... sheesh. 

Sucks they won’t let u finish on grounds of ill health gadgetgal... I def would have got it but too late was the cry for me lol.

we are grumbling ladies cos we have a reason to.

power t the people (as wor Chrissie would say ) :-) x

Hi Marlyn 

just wondering how your appointment  went today. Hope alls good ️X

Hello, I had. Good news today, they had clear margins on the tumour and clear lymph node....yippee! Still another wait to see oncologist to see if ( or not ) chemo is needed......not out of the woods yet but I can see the clearing.....Boxing gloves on and ready to fight..... hope all good with you lovely lady and thank you for your support xxx

Ah that’s fantastic news chuffed t bits for u. Fingers crossed just radiotherapy... yup light def in sight x

Morning peeps

bad :- snowing nd cold

good :- snow looks pretty. It’s my granddaughters fault... on walking t school she said...wish it would snow. Wishes do come true lol. 

Just started nd rather heavy ...

Gratuitous snowing pic lol ..[[]]

Morning :)

Ooohhh lovely photo !! Snow :):):)

we have bright blue sky and it’s icy cold but lovely! 

Good.....had a fab time yesterday, went to see Mary Poppins Returns and had nice pub meal after :) 

Bad....none yay :):)

Have a lovely day everyone xxx

Sandra.....do ya wanna build a snowman??? (singing the song from frozen lol) keep nice and warm xx