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Poppy22's latest comments
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25th Mar 2017Poppy22 commented on:
What do our Silversurfers know about Pensions?We 1950s women really need clear information on the impact of GMPs and contracting out on the new State Pension. The DWP and Govt website don't seem to have the answers and neither do most financial advisors. EG, if a former employer is paying extra (GMP) pension, due to a woman having been contracted out, does that increased pension continue once the woman reaches delayed State Pension Age (66 for those born mid 1950s onwards)? Or does the workplace pension then drastically reduce (the GMP element can be 50% or more of the workplace pension!), and the State Pension make up the difference (or only a fraction of the difference)? What was the one-off Govt "raid" on GMPS that is supposed to have been made in 2016? Why is the DWP telling 1950s women that, where their projected State Pension is reduced because of a period of contracting out, the women can go back to work and pay extra years' NI contributions (beyond the 35 years required?) to make up some of the loss from the contracting out? And, if that happens, what happens to the GMP element of the workplace pension? It's an absolute nightmare for mid-1950s women who have had nearly £50,000 income, over just 6 years, taken away with 0 to 3 years' written notice from the DWP of an Act passed in 1995 (and another in 2011!), but not communicated to the women worst affected until 2009 or 2012 earliest. The SPA for women was 60 for over 50 years, yet Govt and the DWP did not bother to write to every working age woman in 1995 (nor to have simple notes put on payslips, P60s, tax code notices, etc, to make sure we were all informed). Also, when the new State Pension came in (April 2016), we were told that we would receive our State Pensions on whichever was best of the old or new basis (pre or post April 2016 bases), yet we are only being given figures based on the new State Pension, with no comparison or choice regarding the old basis. Hope you can help by giving us these answers as we desperately need to be clear before we make any more financial decisions based on pension expectations that may not be met!ViewDate:
25th Mar 2017Poppy22 commented on:
How many portions of fruit and veg do you eat each day?Some days none. Some days 5 or 6.ViewDate:
25th Mar 2017Poppy22 commented on:
Is there now equality for women in the workplace?EG a male and female doing the same managerial job, with the same number of people reporting in to them. The senior (male) manager calls the man a "manager" and the female an "assistant manager". If the female complains, she soon finds herself made redundant under a departmental restructure. After a while, the company then re-hires - usually a man with the title "manager". Have seen it all too many times.ViewDate:
25th Mar 2017Poppy22 commented on:
Is there now equality for women in the workplace?At managerial level, most companies in the financial services industry.ViewDate:
25th Mar 2017Poppy22 commented on:
Is there now equality for women in the workplace?Having seen many of the recent Government statistics and reports, including from equality committees, it is very saddening to see that the situation is little changed from when my 1950s generation joined the workplace in the 1970's, with the promise of equal pay and equal opportunities. In 30-50-year careers, we did not see either, and the ONS recently published, as reported by the BBC, projections which said that pay for women was unikely to be equal to men for another 40 to 50 years. Until men take true equal responsibility for the home, and bringing up their own children, and until employers and male managers realised that women do not have to act like men to be excellent managers and directors, women will never be equal at work.ViewDate:
25th Mar 2017Poppy22 commented on:
Do you think Scotland should hold a second referendum?The last referendum was supposed to be a deciding vote, and not a "keep doing it until Nicola Sturgeon gets the vote she wants".ViewDate:
25th Mar 2017Poppy22 commented on:
Should companies offer 'Pawternity' leave?If they want time off, take holiday!ViewDate:
25th Mar 2017Poppy22 commented on:
Should MPs have more than one job?A resounding NO. And if they aren't working full time as an MP (and with that salary, and all the expenses, I'd expect them to be working a minimum of 50 hours a week, ideally more), then their MP pay should be cut to reflect the percentage time they are working as an MP.