I’ve been asked to support this class action case on behalf of 1950s women and I’m pleased to do so. https://www.crowdjustice.com/donation/dzkW7nvNWYNzNnkLBWPnGLYV8nNY/

I like to put my money where my mouth and despite a slight technical problem, I’ve made a small donation to encourage others who can do so (especially men) to chip in what they can afford.

I’m fortunate in that, after 15 months on JSA, I was able to claim Pension Credit when I turned 60 and State Pension at 65 – I’ll turn 75 by the end of the year. I believe Pension Age should be equalised between men and women, but that could’ve been have achieved by lowering the pension age to 60 for men!

It’s long been my belief that our economy is capable of producing everything we need without workers having to work more for less money – we can afford a shorter working week and a shorter working lifetime but the capitalist imperative is to maximise profits above anything else and those considered unproductive can dispensed with.

I’m no economist but I know enough to know that real capital is not money but the infrastructure needed to produce the common wealth of a nation. Modern economic policy is to socialise risk while privatising profits.

You can probably see where I’m going with this, but to get back to my main point. Nobody should be obliged to work beyond 60 unless they wish to do so, especially if they’re no longer physically able to do their usual job and there’s no other job they’re qualified for, and people on low paid jobs don’t have chance to build up a pension fund.

I paid into a pension fund in Australia but when I lost my job the lump sum payment I received was sufficient that my that my student debt had to be repaid in full. There was another element that I couldn’t have received until I was 55 if I had remained in Australia, in order to receive it I had to make a Statutory Declaration before a magistrate that I did not intend to return to Australia.

With no job and limited prospects I decided to return to the U.K. while I had the money to do so, and it didn’t last long with the cost of travel for myself and my belongings (a lot of which should’ve been left behind, cheaper to give it away in Australia than to pay transportation costs for something that can’t be given away in U.K.) but it wouldn’t have lasted much longer anyway. By the time I had got a flat and furnished it with what was donated by family, there was bugger all left!

It took me 2 years to find a job but then was constantly employed, with a few intervals, but it was as all temporary work. In one of my jobs I was required to attend a meeting about pensions and was told we needed to have been paying NI for most of our working life. I asked “Where does that leave me? I’ve been overseas for half my life.” It woke people up because I was evidently closer to retirement page than anyone else in the room!

I had to wait until I turned 60 to find out that U.K. and Australia have a reciprocal agreement so I’m able to claim State Pension in the U.K. I had to find out just as 50s women had to find out. Fortunate for me, not so fortunate for them?

Although I’m no longer a member of Unite Community I continue to promote this petition: Workers should not be made to wait until 68 to claim their state pension. 68 is too late! https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/don-t-raise-the-state-pension-age-68-is-too-late?share=81919046-9c10-4185-9c11-8b372b98fd9a&source=twitter-share-email-button&time=1679920133&utm_source=twitter

And this one. Add your name if you agree the retirement age should be lowered to 60 https://the.organise.network/campaigns/network-retirement-age-should-be-lowered-934834059ac6fb35?utm_campaign=h6FgHW2ers&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share

Would I have been better off if I’ld stayed in a Australia? I doubt it if I couldn’t get a job! I worked for five years in the Department of Social Security and lost my job because of what I believe was a combination of sexism and ageism. Women older than me were well established, men not so much and there was only one man older than me, the boss, and I think he saw me as a threat! He acknowledged that I would be best working at his level but was determined to block me all the way. A psychiatrist advised me to get a transfer, but I was told I couldn’t get one until my performance improved – which is like a GP refusing you medication until you prove you don’t need it 🙄 I’ld given up the fight by then but would’ve maybe done better in the office I started in where I was deputy union representative.

I had a temporary job with DWP Human Resources Centre in Leeds where I designed I database that I was asked to demonstrate to a meeting in Newcastle of representatives from all HRCs, I believe it was universally adopted although I had to instruct others how to manage it.

I was actually doing four different jobs and everyone agreed I was doing them well, but when it came to applying for a permanent job I was interviewed by the manager of my local jobcentre and didn’t get the job. My manager, who really wanted to keep me on permanently, had to tell me off for going around with a sad face because it made someone I’d trained feel guilty because she got a job when I didn’t.

So don’t judge people in the lower ranks of DWP, they have a job to do and they’re probably on minimum wage with no decision making powers. Those climbing the ladder are more to blame, but it’s ministers who have ultimate responsibility. #VoteThemOut