Scots could face being “punished again” if the UK Labour Government presses ahead with changes to the state pension age without taking Scotland’s demographic needs into account, an SNP MSP has warned.
Aberdeen MSP Jackie Dunbar has urged ministers to ensure Scotland is not treated as an afterthought as part of a UK-wide review of the state pension age.
The intervention comes as the Scottish Government has submitted evidence to the UK’s independent State Pension Age Review, arguing that no changes should be made without proper consideration of Scotland’s “unique challenges.”
In comparison to the rest of the UK, Scotland has lower life expectancy and higher rates of long-term illness and disability. Health inequalities are more pronounced, particularly in deprived and post-industrial areas, meaning many workers are less able to remain in employment into their late 60s.
Critics of a UK-wide pension age increase argue these factors mean a uniform approach risks disproportionately affecting Scots and widening existing inequalities.
From April, the UK Government will phase in a State Pension age increase from 66 to 67 to be complete within two years. The last time the pension age went up from 65 to 66 it led to 100,000 more 65-year-olds in absolute income poverty compared to before.
The SNP has claimed that a “one-size-fits-all” approach risks disproportionately affecting Scots.
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Commenting, SNP MSP Jackie Dunbar said: “Labour has abjectly failed to come good on its pre-election promise of compensating WASPI women. Now they look set to replicate this injustice by punishing a whole new generation of Scots who have worked hard and paid in all their lives.
“Scotland has particular demographic needs and issues which must be taken into account. It is therefore essential that any changes to the pension age don’t unfairly penalise Scots – and the UK Government must rule out another attack on Scotland’s older people.
“Will Anas Sarwar and his Scottish Labour MSPs stand up for Scots by demanding a pension age which reflects Scotland’s needs or will they rollover and back another Westminster one-size-fits-all approach which treats Scotland as an afterthought?”
The current State Pension Age Review is examining whether the planned rise in the pension age should go ahead as scheduled, amid ongoing debate about life expectancy, public finances and fairness between generations.
Last month, a cross-party committee of MPs launched an inquiry into the pre-pension income gap ahead of the impending State Pension age increase to 67.
Those aged 60-64 year-olds are the joint poorest age group among working-age adults aged 25 and over, as some people leave work early to care for partners or on health grounds despite long careers but are not old enough to take their State Pension. In 2023/24, 22% of them (876,000 people), were living in poverty.
The UK Government and Scottish Labour have been contacted for comment.