Pensions Bill

Written evidence from Neil Watson (PB 63)

I declare an interest by virtue of my age now at 64 and still working, possibly continuing to work until after 2016. 
 
In an era of 'shifting sands' there is nothing more unfair to approach pensionable age to see all the expectations dashed and a changed pension not applying to me and thousands like me .
 
I have contributed to my state pension since age 16 which will total 49 years.
 
The contribution test was altered to 30 years not too long ago to be increased up a little to 35 years under the single tier pension. Yet, to the many like me who have paid in for 49 years we are going to be denied the new enhanced rate purely because of an arbitruary choice of date set by government ( and this date was changed and brought forward only recently)
 
It is admirable to combine the existing two tiers (basic and S2) into a single tier .The change achieves long awaited simplification and produces clarity and fairness but there will still be two tiers of pensioner going forward. The pensioners with the enhanced basic pension from 2016 and pensioners with the pension paid at the former much lower rate.
 
It is incomprehensible to me why the clarity and fairness parliament seeks could not embrace all pensioners, past and future. There is no good reason why the new pension could not be phased in gently just as the qualifying pensionable age is being gradually altered over time.

July 2013