Pensions Bill

Written evidence from Thelma Brown (PB 12)

My submissions relate to the position of women, such as myself, born between April 1952 and March 1953 who will be entitled to a basic state pension but not to a secondary additional one. All such women will have had the age at which they are able to claim a state pension extended although the exact date of eligibility will vary in accordance with their dates of birth.

Under the provisions in the Pensions Bill women in the above category will have their state pension restricted permanently to the present rate of £109 per week, setting aside index linking, rather than the proposed new rate of £144. As a consequence, by way of example, a woman born in March 1953 who received her state pension for 20 years would receive £113,360 whereas a woman born in April 1953 would receive £149,760. Index linking would exacerbate this disparity.

I accept that any change to major fiscal provisions is bound to produce some anomalies but the above scenario is both unjust and unnecessary. It can be avoided if the women I describe in my opening paragraph are allowed to choose either to claim their state pensions when they are entitled to do so or to delay claiming them until April 2016, when the new rate becomes operational, and at that time rece ive the enhanced payment. The existing deferment provisions would not have sufficient impact.

I suggest that it is not sensible to introduce provisions which would have identifiable and avoidable flaws and which would become the subject of increasing criticism once their impact is understood.

June 2013