Action Blog
Viewing entries tagged with 'pension'
The parable of the poor weaver’s holiday
In my last blog I explained that the women’s state retirement pension age will increase from 60 to 65 between now and 2020. From 2024 to 2046 the state pension for all will increase to 68. The age at which some benefits can be claimed, such as Pension Credit, Winter Fuel Payment and increased Housing and Council Tax Benefit will also rise. I tried to paint an optimistic picture of the changes, but the following audacious reply from ‘Yours Sincerely, Disgusted, Barnoldswick’ suggests that my ‘spin’ didn’t work.
Upping the age - and the spin!
For as long as I can remember, us hard-done to men have worked all day and then come home to the hunting and lighting the fire right up to the age of 65. Meanwhile our womenfolk, who have the far easier tasks of having babies, bringing up children, cooking, cleaning, washing and ironing have been able to retire at 60. Life has been so unfair until 1 April this year and the start of State Pension age equalisation. In our wildest dreams, we men thought equalisation meant reducing the male retirement age down to 60, but wise politicians recognised that wouldn’t have been in our best interests. The change itself has been well publicised, but what does it mean?
Give Pension Credit a Chance
I’ve always liked Pension Credit as a relatively generous benefit for people aged 60 or over on low income. Unfortunately it is under claimed, and from 2 November 2009 many more people could find that they are eligible.
Just when you think it can’t get worse, it does
I’ve just got back to the office after visiting Joe in East Lancashire. Joe is in his 70s and has recently lost his partner of many years. He’s devastated and he could well do without all the benefit hassle that goes with bereavement. That’s where I try to help.
The ruined carpet
I often give talks to groups of elderly people who are experiencing sight loss about the possible benefits available. Unfortunately some are reluctant to claim. Receiving benefits can significantly increase a person’s income and provide them with a better life so, wanting to encourage people to claim, I often use a true story.
Tag cloud
accessibility, apple, assistive technology, beauty, benefits, big society, burnley, carers, christmas, coping, digital inclusion, disability, disclosing disability, discrimination, dla, dwp, employment, esa, family, fashion, grieving, happiness, holidays, human rights, ignorance, inclusive design, inclusivity, independence, iphone, life, living with sight loss, love, pension, people, registration, respect, rp, sailing, shopping, sight loss, social inclusion, stereotypes, style, technology, travel, vi people, web accessibility, welfare rights, white cane, work capability assessment,
Browse by date
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
