I am one of the thousands of women who have lost out through pension age changes (Thousands of UK women owed pension payout after ombudsman’s Waspi ruling, 21 March). Contrary to what the government claims, I never received any direct communication from the Department for Work and Pensions telling me that I would have to work on to age 66, instead of being able to retire at 60, as I had assumed. I found out through news reports instead.
The costs to those of us affected are not just monetary. Had I been able to retire at 60, instead of 66, I would have been able to spend more time caring for my father before he died with dementia in 2018. And I might not have suffered a heart attack last year aged 67, just eight months after retiring (two‑plus years working from home in a sedentary job during Covid probably did nothing for my heart health).
While I recognise that pension ages needed to be equalised, successive Tory governments since 2011 have shown a contemptuous attitude to women in their mishandling of the issue.
Gill Roberts
Bishopston, Swansea
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