WHY aren’t women hopping mad about the state pension changes detrimental to them?

The 1946 National Insurance Act is quite explicit. This introduced contributory pensions funded through National Insurance payments, men retiring aged 65 and women at 60.

The thresholds for obtaining a full state pension were NI contributions of 44 years for men and 39 for women. Now women will be forced to work six years longer by 2020 equalising to men’s pension misery which rises to 66 by 2016.

Anyone who pays their full NI contributions before 2020 surely should be allowed to retire at the agreed ages of 65 and 60 set out in the 1946 NI Act. To do otherwise is contrary to the spirit and intention of this Act.

The ConDems are acting dishonourably, even though LibDem Steve Webb is working on a flat-rate state pension, possibly enacted before 2015. This new pension is future orientated for people unaffected by the main thrust of the 1946 Act.

Anyone should be allowed to retire later, but this should include a flexible pension and working hours for earlier retirement. If such flexibility isn’t added, what hope for youth frozen out of work by older workers?

T Scaife, Manor Drive, York.