This Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) document details 6 positive responses to public consultation (DWP website, 01/02/2010-12/03/2010) of the draft Social Security (Exemption from Claiming Retirement Pension) Regulations 2010, due to become active on 01/11/2010. The draft allows DWP to contact certain customers prior to retirement age, for example, to continue payments without them needing
This Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) document details 6 positive responses to public consultation (DWP website, 01/02/2010-12/03/2010) of the draft Social Security (Exemption from Claiming Retirement Pension) Regulations 2010, due to become active on 01/11/2010. The draft allows DWP to contact certain customers prior to retirement age, for example, to continue payments without them needing to formally claim and to put off their pension claim and continue on Working Age benefit. DWP received responses from the, Scottish Council on Deafness (SCOD), Citizens Advice Bureau (Wales), Unite Federation, Durham County Council in England, Age Concern and Help the Aged, and Low Incomes Tax Reform Group. Government responses to the main points made by these respondents are detailed, but are not an authoritative interpretation of the law (only possible by the Court) and cannot be used for legal advice. For example, SCOD asked about provisions for deaf people regarding the proposed, pre-retirement communications, and confirmation that proactive contact and informed choice conversations, using British Sign Language, and Braille for the deaf-blind, with trained DWP staff have been trialled successfully, is given. Responses to discussions on the draft at the DWP Policy and Strategy Forum are also reflected upon in this document.
Subject terms:
older people, retirement, state retirement pensions, adults, consultation, employment, government departments;
... post-SPA by choice, but who had stopped working at follow-up, also reported marginally (P < 0.10) higher CASP-19 scores. Conclusions: potential QoL benefits of working beyond SPA need to be considered in light of individual motivations for extending working life. Given the trend towards working longer and the abolishment of mandatory retirement ages, it is important that older people maintain control
(Edited publisher abstract)
Background: despite an increasing proportion of older people working beyond State Pension Age (SPA), little is known about neither the motivations for this decision nor whether, and to what extent, working beyond SPA affects quality of life (QoL). Methods: QoL was measured using the CASP-19 scale. Respondents in paid work beyond SPA were distinguished based on whether they reported financial constraints as the main reason for continuing in work. Linear regression models were used to assess the associations between paid work beyond SPA and CASP-19 scores among men aged 65–74 and women aged 60–69 (n = 2,502) cross-sectionally and over time using Wave 4 and Wave 7 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Results: approximately, one in five respondents were in paid work beyond SPA, one-third of whom reported financial issues as the main reason. These individuals reported significantly lower CASP-19 scores (β = −1.21) compared with those who retired at the expected/usual age. Respondents who declared being in paid work beyond SPA because they enjoyed their work or wanted to remain active, reported significantly higher QoL (β = 1.62). Longitudinal analyses suggest that those who were working post-SPA by choice, but who had stopped working at follow-up, also reported marginally (P < 0.10) higher CASP-19 scores. Conclusions: potential QoL benefits of working beyond SPA need to be considered in light of individual motivations for extending working life. Given the trend towards working longer and the abolishment of mandatory retirement ages, it is important that older people maintain control over their decision to work in later life.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
quality of life, state retirement pensions, retirement, decision making, employment, longitudinal studies, ageing, older people, pensions;
International Journal of Social Welfare, 19(Supplement 1), July 2010, pp.s103-s120.
Publisher:
Wiley
Coinciding with economic development and the expansion of public social security, mortality rates suggest that elderly people in the advanced welfare democracies have experienced dramatically improved health over the past decades. This study investigated the importance of public pensions for self-reported health and wellbeing among retired people in 13 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries between 2002 and 2005. Public pension data make it possible to differentiate between two basic qualities of pension systems: 'basic security' for those who have no or a short work history; and 'income security' for those with a more extensive contribution record. For enhanced cross-national comparison, relative measures of ill-health and wellbeing were used to account for cultural bias in responses to survey questions and heterogeneity among countries in the general level of population health. Results, overall, indicate that better health was found in countries with more generous public pensions, although the results were gendered – for women's health, high basic security of the pension system appears to be particularly important. Women's wellbeing also tends to be more dependent on the quality of basic security.
Coinciding with economic development and the expansion of public social security, mortality rates suggest that elderly people in the advanced welfare democracies have experienced dramatically improved health over the past decades. This study investigated the importance of public pensions for self-reported health and wellbeing among retired people in 13 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries between 2002 and 2005. Public pension data make it possible to differentiate between two basic qualities of pension systems: 'basic security' for those who have no or a short work history; and 'income security' for those with a more extensive contribution record. For enhanced cross-national comparison, relative measures of ill-health and wellbeing were used to account for cultural bias in responses to survey questions and heterogeneity among countries in the general level of population health. Results, overall, indicate that better health was found in countries with more generous public pensions, although the results were gendered – for women's health, high basic security of the pension system appears to be particularly important. Women's wellbeing also tends to be more dependent on the quality of basic security.
Subject terms:
income, mental health, older people, retirement, social policy, state retirement pensions, welfare state, wellbeing, comparative studies, health;
At a time when public finances are constrained and politicians are arguing about when and what to cut, this paper debates the future of public services in Britain. The report claims that to continue to fund the current range of services, reduce child poverty and help the poorest elderly people pay for the costs of climate change will require an additional 4-6% of our GDP over the next twenty years. This would increase the share of national income spent by government to over 45% by 2020 and nearer 47-48% by 2030. Yet public tax receipts have never been higher than 45% and rarely above 40%. So, while in the short run we are faced with a £178 billion gap between tax revenues and public spending, in the long run the situation would be still worse. To meet this additional public spending demand, the author suggests that we: need to think through which demographic, social and income groups are likely to face the greatest needs in the next two decades and which are in a position to make the greatest additional contributions; need to consider what welfare state functions could be done differently – this could be a model of partnership funding in which the cost of services is shared between individuals and the state; need to think creatively about how services work. The paper concludes that even if these recommendations were implemented, by 2028 the Exchequer would still need to raise a sum of 2-4% of GDP through general taxation – just to meet the additional age-related cost drivers.
At a time when public finances are constrained and politicians are arguing about when and what to cut, this paper debates the future of public services in Britain. The report claims that to continue to fund the current range of services, reduce child poverty and help the poorest elderly people pay for the costs of climate change will require an additional 4-6% of our GDP over the next twenty years. This would increase the share of national income spent by government to over 45% by 2020 and nearer 47-48% by 2030. Yet public tax receipts have never been higher than 45% and rarely above 40%. So, while in the short run we are faced with a £178 billion gap between tax revenues and public spending, in the long run the situation would be still worse. To meet this additional public spending demand, the author suggests that we: need to think through which demographic, social and income groups are likely to face the greatest needs in the next two decades and which are in a position to make the greatest additional contributions; need to consider what welfare state functions could be done differently – this could be a model of partnership funding in which the cost of services is shared between individuals and the state; need to think creatively about how services work. The paper concludes that even if these recommendations were implemented, by 2028 the Exchequer would still need to raise a sum of 2-4% of GDP through general taxation – just to meet the additional age-related cost drivers.
Subject terms:
public expenditure, retirement, state retirement pensions, taxation, welfare state, ageing, benefits, demographics, financing;
This paper briefly summarises the findings of two phases of research conducted for the Government Pension, Disability and Carers Service (PDCS), to explore the attitudes and perceptions of people in retirement. The aim of the research was to enhance PDCS’s customer segmentation of pensioners (Odyssey) through identification of additional customer characteristics that might improve communication and service delivery. Qualitative research looked at customers’ attitudes and perceptions of their social and financial lifestyles, as well as their health and well-being. The quantitative research built upon these themes from the perspective of communicating with those of retirement age. Overall there were 22 discussion groups and 34 depth interviews. The survey involved 1,979 people. Family
This paper briefly summarises the findings of two phases of research conducted for the Government Pension, Disability and Carers Service (PDCS), to explore the attitudes and perceptions of people in retirement. The aim of the research was to enhance PDCS’s customer segmentation of pensioners (Odyssey) through identification of additional customer characteristics that might improve communication and service delivery. Qualitative research looked at customers’ attitudes and perceptions of their social and financial lifestyles, as well as their health and well-being. The quantitative research built upon these themes from the perspective of communicating with those of retirement age. Overall there were 22 discussion groups and 34 depth interviews. The survey involved 1,979 people. Family and, to a lesser extent, friends fulfilled important roles in the live of respondents, in many case helping to interpret information from Government services. As anticipated, age affected participants’ outlook on society, finance and health. Traditional media, television and newspapers, were used more frequently than the internet or mobile phones. Overall face to face communication was preferred particularly for health and financial matters. Even internet users expressed reluctance to use it for personal matters. The research suggests that reaching older people directly may be difficult because of their isolation. Families and other, for example health, services may have a role to play.
Subject terms:
older people, pensions, personal finance, retirement, state retirement pensions, user views, access to information, attitudes, central government, communication, families, health;
This paper reports the findings of two phases of research conducted for the Government Pension, Disability and Carers Service (PDCS), to explore the attitudes and perceptions of people in retirement. The aim of the research was to enhance PDCS’s customer segmentation of pensioners (Odyssey) through identification of additional customer characteristics that might improve communication and service delivery. Qualitative research looked at customers’ attitudes and perceptions of their social and financial lifestyles, as well as their health and well-being. The quantitative research built upon these themes from the perspective of communicating with those of retirement age. Overall there were 22 discussion groups and 34 depth interviews. The survey involved 1,979 people. Family and, to a lesser extent,
This paper reports the findings of two phases of research conducted for the Government Pension, Disability and Carers Service (PDCS), to explore the attitudes and perceptions of people in retirement. The aim of the research was to enhance PDCS’s customer segmentation of pensioners (Odyssey) through identification of additional customer characteristics that might improve communication and service delivery. Qualitative research looked at customers’ attitudes and perceptions of their social and financial lifestyles, as well as their health and well-being. The quantitative research built upon these themes from the perspective of communicating with those of retirement age. Overall there were 22 discussion groups and 34 depth interviews. The survey involved 1,979 people. Family and, to a lesser extent, friends fulfilled important roles in the live of respondents, in many case helping to interpret information from Government services. As anticipated, age affected participants’ outlook on society, finance and health. Traditional media, television and newspapers, were used more frequently than the internet or mobile phones. Overall face to face communication was preferred particularly for health and financial matters. Even internet users expressed reluctance to use it for personal matters. The research suggests that reaching older people directly may be difficult because of their isolation. Families and other, for example health, services may have a role to play.
Subject terms:
older people, pensions, personal finance, retirement, state retirement pensions, user views, access to information, attitudes, central government, communication, families, health;
This paper briefly summarises research designed to gain an understanding of both the process and expectations of retiring and what being retired means for those who have done so. It also explored definitions of both retirement and being a pensioner, negative and positive connotations of both, as well as participants’ ability, and desire, to plan financially for the future. This included finding
This paper briefly summarises research designed to gain an understanding of both the process and expectations of retiring and what being retired means for those who have done so. It also explored definitions of both retirement and being a pensioner, negative and positive connotations of both, as well as participants’ ability, and desire, to plan financially for the future. This included finding out what both pensioners and pre-pensioners knew about State Pension, Pension Credit, and other government services, and what their expectations are, or were, about government interaction and communications that took place in the lead up to attaining State Pension age. Eighteen discussion groups were conducted across two waves of research in England and Wales. The key variable in terms of attitudes throughout the research was between those who had retired and those who had not. Those not yet retired described apprehension in respect of financial and social losses. They were able to save whereas those already retired often budgeted week by week. There were low expectations amongst many pre-pensioners that the State Pension will be able to adequately provide for them in later life. The report concludes that it is imperative that communications are tailored correctly for different groups of pre-pensioners and of pensioners who can have very different needs.
Subject terms:
leisure activities, occupational pensions, older people, personal finance, personal pensions, retirement, state retirement pensions, user views, access to information, attitudes, anxiety, central government, communication;
This study was designed to gain an understanding of both the process and expectations of retiring and what being retired means for those who have done so. It also explored definitions of both retirement and being a pensioner, negative and positive connotations of both, as well as participants’ ability, and desire, to plan financially for the future. This included finding out what both pensioners
This study was designed to gain an understanding of both the process and expectations of retiring and what being retired means for those who have done so. It also explored definitions of both retirement and being a pensioner, negative and positive connotations of both, as well as participants’ ability, and desire, to plan financially for the future. This included finding out what both pensioners and pre-pensioners knew about State Pension, Pension Credit, and other government services, and what their expectations are, or were, about government interaction and communications that took place in the lead up to attaining State Pension age. Eighteen discussion groups were conducted across two waves of research in England and Wales. The key variable in terms of attitudes throughout the research was between those who had retired and those who had not. Those not yet retired described apprehension in respect of financial and social losses. They were able to save whereas those already retired often budgeted week by week. There were low expectations amongst many pre-pensioners that the State Pension will be able to adequately provide for them in later life. The report concludes that it is imperative that communications are tailored correctly for different groups of pre-pensioners and of pensioners who can have very different needs.
Subject terms:
leisure activities, occupational pensions, older people, personal finance, personal pensions, retirement, state retirement pensions, user views, access to information, attitudes, anxiety, central government, communication;