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<\/p>\n\n Wrexham.com > News\n <\/p>\n
Posted: Thu 27th Nov 2025 <\/p>\n
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Members of the The Clwyd Pension Fund committee have hit out at plans to increase the minimum pension age to 57-years-old that have \u2018blindsided\u2019 public sector workers.<\/p>\n
The legislation, which was signed into law in 2022 by the UK Government under the Finance Act, is being applied retrospectively to members of the fund prior to November 4, 2021. It is an attempt to rectify age discrimination that took place against younger public service pension scheme members when pensions switched from final salary schemes to career average payments.<\/p>\n
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Now the Clwyd Pension Fund \u2013 which supports retired council officers, councillors and selected partner organisations from Wrexham, Flintshire and Denbighshire \u2013 has been asked to respond to a Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government consultation on the implementation of the changes.<\/p>\n
Some committee members branded the change \u2018unjust\u2019 \u2013 claiming council employees across North Wales who are planning their retirement are finding their plans negatively impacted with no way of preparing their finances.<\/p>\n
The Clwyd Pension Fund has around 52,000 members and pays out more than \u00a370m in pensions annually. Its funds are managed in part by the Wales Pension Partnership (WPP).<\/p>\n
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\u201cBecause the change is retrospective and affects anybody who was in the fund immediately prior to November 2021, anybody that has joined the fund since may not be aware of the changes (to the minimum pension age),\u201d said Karen Williams, the fund\u2019s Pensions Administration Manager.
\u201cAs a result I do think some members have been potentially blindsided by the change. There has been a lack of communication, I think, in terms of members being able to make informed decisions in relation to their future planning for retirement, especially for their retirement living standards.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the age was increased form 50 to 55 it was a future change and people were able to plan for it., I don\u2019t think there has been a consistent approach in relation to changing it from 55 to 57.
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t help members and it doesn\u2019t help us as officers administering the fund.\u201d<\/p>\n
Committee members were critical of the change.<\/p>\n
\u201cA significant number of our staff do hard, physical work,\u201d said Flintshire Cllr Alasdair Ibbotson.
\u201cFor example, binmen, having to go around in their late 50s \u2013 bearing in mind we are talking about an increase in the age when you can claim a reduced pension \u2013 having to go around and do that physical labour well into their 60s is not reasonable.
\u201cThe fact the UK Government is trying to impose this change should be fiercely resisted. Retirement age is a political decision and should be treated as such.\u201d<\/p>\n
As officers reminded the committee that the legislation itself was not up for consultation or change \u2013 only the implementation of it \u2013 Wrexham Cllr Anthony Wedlake spoke out.
\u201cIt\u2019s a political decision,\u201d he said. \u201cWe should still be able to comment on the fairness of the decision as a committee. This clearly affects our members.\u201d
Despite the legislation having already having been passed by Parliament, Cllr Ibbotson asked the committee to formally note its opposition to the idea of increasing the minimum retirement age \u2013 especially as the Clwyd Pension Fund\u2019s own demographic data shows projected life expectancy falling.
\u201cChanging the pension age is extracting more and more from working people when less and less is expected\u00a0 of the very richest in our society,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is not valid or just.
\u201cIf we submit a narrow, technical response we are giving tacit consent to this change and we shouldn\u2019t. We should resist it.
\u201cThis committee has previously, repeatedly issued statements against pooling the fund and said \u2018our hands are tied but we do not agree with it.
\u201cWe should do the same here because it is morally unjust.\u201d
The committee supported Cllr Ibbotson\u2019s recommendation and the committee placed on record it\u2019s objection to the changes to pension age.<\/p>\n
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By Alec Doyle \u2013 BBC Local Democracy Reporter <\/p>\n