A petition calling for the State Pension age to be reduced has more than 1,500 signatures online
The petition will run until December 2025(Image: Shared Content Unit)
People are calling for the State Pension age to be reduced from 66 to 60, saying that the Government “seems intent on the State Pension being a benefit not paid to all.”
More than 1,500 people have signed a petition asking for the State Pension to be paid to everyone at 60 and for it to be increased to the equivalent of 48hrs of the National Living Wage.
It comes after Government officials initiated a formal examination earlier this month that may lead to raising the State Pension age to 70.
The age at which people can start claiming their State Pension is already set to rise to 67 between 2026 and 2028 and then further to 68 between 2044 and 2046, under the Government’s current plans.
Never miss a story with the MEN’s daily Catch Up newsletter – get it in your inbox by signing up here
Creator of the petition, Denver Johnson said: “We want the Government to make the State Pension available from the age of 60 & increase this to equal 48hrs a week at the National Living Wage.
“Hence from April 2025 a Universal State Pension should be £586.08 per week or about £30,476.16 per year as a right to all including expatriates, age 60 and above.
“We think that Government policy seems intent on the State Pension being a benefit not paid to all, while ever increasing the age of entitlement.
“We want reforms to the State Pension, so that it is available to all including expatriates, from age 60, and linked to the National Living Wage, for security.”
Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE
The State Pension increases at the start of each new financial year in April by whichever is highest out of inflation, wages based on average growth between May and July, or 2.5% – known as the triple lock promise.
This year, the State Pension went up by 4.1% in line with average earnings growth. The amount of State Pension you receive depends on your National Insurance record.
Men born on or after April 6, 1951, and women born on or after April 6, 1953 are able to claim the new State Pension. People born before these dates are only entitled to the basic State Pension payments.
Full new State Pension: increased from £221.20 a week to £230.25 a week in AprilFull old basic State Pension: increased from £169.50 a week to £176.45 a week in April
Johnson’s petition currently has 1,697 signatures – if it gets 10,000 signatures, the Government will respond to it and if it gets 100,000, the petition will be considered for debate in Parliament.