Gordon Lishman‚ Director-General of Age Concern England said:

“It is right that a key principle for pension reform is promoting a fair deal for women. Women pensioners are most likely to live in poverty and the situation that many face in retirement is a national disgrace.

“Age Concern has been campaigning with the Fawcett society for a radical overhaul of the state pension system‚ which is outdated and failing to meet the needs of today’s women.

“Women who have taken time away from employment to care for children find themselves with a depleted retirement income and this is simply unacceptable. Pension reform must also accommodate the needs of the poorest ethnic minorities‚ many of whom are facing a retirement in poverty.”

Dr Katherine Rake‚ Director of the Fawcett Society‚ said:

“As the UK’s campaign for equality between men and women‚ the Fawcett Society welcomes the government’s commitment to making our pensions system fairer for women and carers‚ many of whom are women. It is a scandal just 13 per cent of today’s women pensioners are entitled to the full basic state pension‚ compared to 92 per cent of men.

“We believe a state pension based on residency rather than National Insurance contributions would be fairer to women and carers. The current model is based on a 1940s model‚ which assumed that women can rely on their husband’s income in retirement – society has changed and so must our pensions system.”

Notes to editors

1. Just 13 per cent of today’s women pensioners are entitled to the full basic state pension‚ compared to 92 per cent of men. One in three single female pensioners lives in poverty. Around 1.4 million women are excluded from pension entitlement simply because they earn too little.

2. The Fawcett Society is the UK’s campaign for equality between women and men.

3. Age Concern is the UK’s largest organisation campaigning with and on behalf of older people.

Media Contact Age Concern:

Telephone:
020 8765 7516
Out of hours:
07071 243 243                   
Email:
Media Team

Media Contact Fawcett Society:

Jenny Westaway:
Telephone:
020 7253 2598
Mobile:
07931 800 782