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A rewarding retirement: notes from an assembly of older BME people
- Author:
- MAWHINNEY Phil
- Journal article citation:
- Runnymede Bulletin, 368, Winter 2011, pp.9-10.
- Publisher:
- Runnymede Trust
As part of a 3-year programme of research into financial inclusion and older BME people, Runnymede brought together 50 older people from a range of ethnic backgrounds to share their knowledge and concerns on retirement. This article provides an overview of some of the issues, which include: poverty; the issue of not being eligible for a full state pension when returning to their country of birth on retirement; and the concern felt for younger generations facing high rates of unemployment.
Customers' experiences of contact with the Pension, Disability and Carers Service
- Authors:
- WHITFIELD Grahame, et al
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Department for Work and Pensions
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 63p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
This report highlights findings from a research project investigating the circumstances surrounding the ways in which people who were customers of both The Pension Service (TPS) and the Disability and Carers Service (DCS) came into contact with the agency’s services. It was commissioned by the Pension, Disability and Carers Service. In depth interviews were held with men and women, 60 and older, drawn from the DCS customer database. Three discussion groups were also held. The report examines ways to overcome the barriers people experience in becoming aware of and contacting the service, making claims and in understanding the information provided and required by PDCS. It also examines how to harness the key role of family/friends and local partners in raising awareness among, and providing support to, older people in accessing services. Finally, the report outlines ways to better understand and respond to customers’ preferences and needs, and to manage and meet customers’ expectations of the service.
The implications of government policy for future levels of pensioner poverty
- Authors:
- CARRERA Leandro, REDWOOD Daniel, ADAMS John
- Publisher:
- Pensions Poverty Institute
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 81p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
In 2009/10 around 1.8 million pensioners were living in households with household income below the relative poverty line of 60% of median income after housing costs. This represents 16% of a total of 11.5 million pensioners living in the UK. Further state pension reforms may have an impact on the income of current and future pensioners and hence on future levels of pensioner poverty. This report examines the potential impact of a range of alternative policy options that Government could adopt on future levels of pensioner poverty. Some of the policy proposals considered relate to the latest proposals suggested by the Government such as the introduction of a single-tier state pension of £140 a week. The report highlights the trade-offs faced by all Governments in terms of the potential effect on poverty reduction of alternative policies and the costs of the different policy options. The policy options that appear to be most effective at reducing future levels of pensioner poverty, such as the introduction of a flat-rate single-tier pension for all pensioners, are also the most expensive for the Government to implement. The report does not aim to suggest which policy should be adopted, but instead to highlight the implications of policy choices for possible future levels of pensioner poverty.
Are Scandinavian countries different? A comparison of relative incomes for older people in OECD nations
- Author:
- HAYNES Philip
- Journal article citation:
- Social Policy and Administration, 45(2), April 2011, pp.114-130.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Using case-based methods this research examines the provision of pensions and income support for older people in OECD countries, to see whether Scandinavian countries are qualitatively different to other OECD nations. The study also looked at whether Scandinavian countries for a separate cluster that defines their coverage for women. Scandinavia can be clearly identified in a separate cluster, but it is not alone and other countries also share its similarities. Scandinavia emerges in a cluster that provides more income replacement and protection for women. In part, this is reinforced by the high rate of labour participation by women in Scandinavian countries. However, there is little evidence of Scandinavian countries retaining noticeable differences and divergence in income protection policies for men.
Older people, pensions and poverty: an issue for social workers?
- Author:
- FOSTER Liam
- Journal article citation:
- International Social Work, 54(3), May 2011, pp.344-360.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Individual quality of life in retirement is affected by material circumstances. Therefore, pension provision will have a significant impact for older people, and may affect peoples’ need for assistance through social services. Therefore, government pension policy requires considerable attention. This article examines the relationship between social work, poverty and social policy. It shows how the social, economic and political context within which older service users live is crucial to their experience of successful ageing. The article then considers the link between poverty in older age and pension receipt and the role of social policy formulation in the UK with particular reference to New Labour governance. Pension policy in the UK is then examined within a European context. In ending, the article considers whether pension poverty levels are likely to change under the new government.
Customers' experiences of contact with the Pension, Disability and Carers Service: research summary
- Authors:
- WHITFIELD Grahame, et al
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Department for Work and Pensions
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 3p.
- Place of publication:
- London
This research, commissioned by the Pension, Disability and Carers Service (PDCS), was conducted over a six month period in a context of government initiatives to increase levels of support to low income pensioners. This study aimed to provide PDCS with detailed insights into what kinds of trigger events encourage pensioners to make contact with PDCS; whether and how they are facilitated in doing so by others with whom they are in touch; what channels of communication they use; how they experience their contact with the service; and what PDCS might do to enhance the effectiveness of their service delivery. The research involved in-depth interviews with 30 older people, and three discussion groups. The research highlighted a number of barriers to PDCS achieving its aim of ensuring that those older people who are entitled to PDCS benefits are aware of and receive the full financial assistance, services and support that are available to them. Overall, there was a general lack of awareness of the availability of financial assistance from PDCS, and many people felt that they had to jump through hoops to demonstrate their entitlement.
Family ties: women's work and family histories and their association with incomes in later life in the UK
- Authors:
- SEFTON Tom, EVANDROU Maria, FALKINGHAM Jane
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Policy, 40(1), January 2011, pp.41-69.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
- Place of publication:
- Cambridge
This article examines the relationship between the family and work histories of older women and their personal incomes in later life. The analysis uses retrospective data from the first 15 waves of the British Household Panel Survey. The association between women's family histories and their incomes later in life are found to be relatively weak, explaining only a small proportion of the overall variation in older women's incomes. Divorce, early widowhood and re-marriage are not associated with any significant differences in older women's incomes, while motherhood is only associated with a small reduction in incomes later in life. While there are significant differences in the work histories of older women with different family histories, this translates into relatively small differences in their personal incomes, because the types of employment career pursued by most women are not associated with significantly higher retirement incomes and because public transfers dampen work history-related differentials, especially for widows. On the one hand, this could be seen as a positive finding in that the ‘pension penalty’ associated with life-course events such as motherhood and divorce is not as severe as often anticipated. On the other hand, the main reason for this is that the pension returns for working longer are relatively low, particularly for women with few qualifications. The analysis suggests that women retiring over the next two decades are unlikely to benefit significantly from the additional years they have spent in employment, because most of this increase has been in part-time employment.
To stay or not to stay: retirement migration decisions among older people
- Authors:
- MAWHINNEY Paul, KHAN Omar
- Publisher:
- Runnymede Trust
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 49p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
Many people decide to leave the UK and move abroad on reaching retirement, and older black and minority ethnic people in the UK who were born abroad may consider returning to their country of birth when they retire. This study builds on the findings of an earlier report (The Costs of 'Returning Home') into some of the potential increased costs of returning to another country after living in the UK for some time, and focuses on how people decide where to spend retirement. The qualitative study involved focus groups with over 80 older people from different ethnic backgrounds (Caribbean, Moroccan and white British), both retired and approaching retirement, asking participants about whether they considered spending retirement outside the UK, in particular in their country of birth. It looks at the considerations, attractions and barriers to overseas retirement, covering older people and return migration, financial considerations (such as accessing UK state pensions and other welfare benefits overseas), health and health care, family and friends, and belonging (including way of life and conceptions of home). It includes key conclusions and policy actions. An appendix lists countries where UK state pensions are frozen and uprated.
Pension, Disability and Carers Service annual report of quarterly satisfaction monitor 2009/10
- Authors:
- HOWAT Nick, NORDEN Oliver, GARBETT Erica
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Department for Work and Pensions
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 90p.
- Place of publication:
- London
The Pension, Disability and Carers Service (PDCS) is an executive agency of the Department for Work and Pensions, and is responsible for delivering a range of age and disability related benefits. A customer survey was launched to monitor satisfaction with the service and to ensure that customer views were taken into account in operational and policy planning. This report presents the findings from the first year of the customer survey, which reflects information gathered in telephone interviews with customers who had contact with the service in the previous 6 months. It describes the methodology used and reports on findings for the PDCS as a whole, the experiences of Pension Service customers, the experiences of Disability and Carers Service customers, and an overview of customer characteristics. One of the key performance measures was overall customer satisfaction with the service, and the survey found that 92% were satisfied with PDCS as a whole in 2009/10.
How depression and other mental health problems can affect future living standards of those out of the labour force
- Authors:
- SCHOFIELD Deborah, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 15(5), July 2011, pp.654-662.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This study assessed whether those leaving the workforce early through mental health problems have less savings by the time they reach retirement age. Data were obtained from Health & Wealth MOD - a micro-simulation model of Australians aged 45-64 years that predicts accumulated savings at age 65. Findings revealed that females who retired early due to depression have an average value of total savings by the time they are 65 of $300. For those with more serious mental health problems the figure was $0. This is far lower than the average of $227,900 for females with no chronic condition who remained employed full-time. Males showed similar differences. Both males and females who were out of the labour force due to depression or other mental health problems had at least 97% less savings and retirement income by age 65 that those who remained employed full-time. The authors concluded that those who retire early due to mental health problems will face long term financial disadvantage.