Qualifying years for state pension

pla_2

Hello

I am a 61 year old female and have been drawing my state pension for the past year - this is a reduced pension due to my having only 33 qualifying years.

I believe in the future the qualifying years for a full state pension is being reduced. Therefore does this mean that when this occurs my pension will be upgraded to a full pension?

jem16

Unfortunately no. Only those retiring after 2010 will have to have 30 qualifying years.

tightrs

i do believe that you can buy years to bring you up to full pension though that is worth lookin at

Dick_here

So although the retirement age is creeping up, the number of years' contributions required to get the full state pension is going down. Eh ?

Can anybody explain the logic, if there is any !

EdInvestor

!!!!!!_here wrote: »

So although the retirement age is creeping up, the number of years' contributions required to get the full state pension is going down. Eh ?

Can anybody explain the logic, if there is any !

The old rules discriminated heavily against women - only around 35% of women get a full state pension, compared with nearly 90% of men.The new rules make it much easier for women to accumulate the required years.They also equalise benefits between men and women - currently the women's state pension is an inferior version of the male one.

The change is long overdue.

seven-day-weekend

The logic of the first age increase (for women born between April 1950 and April 1955) is to bring their retirement age equal with men's to comply with equal rights legislation.

The logic of the second age increase (a retirement age for everybody by (I think) 2020 of 68) is because people are living much longer than they used to, are fitter and healthier and capable of working longer and the Government can't afford to pay out State Pensions for over thirty years to everybody.

The reason for the reduction in time of contributions is to enable more people (especially women) to qualify for the State Pension. You will only need 30 years of contributions if your State Retirement age is after April 6th 2010. However, although you will qualify for a State Pension after this time, if you are working and earning enough you will continue to pay contributions as they also entitle you to other benefits such as Jobseekers' Allowance and Sickness Benefits.

Hope this is correct and hope it helps!