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<p>The approach of Labour, Conservative and the Coalition governments for the last
24 years since the 1995 pensions Act is the same. This Government’s position on the
changes to State Pension age (SPa) remains clear and consistent.</p><p> </p><p>The
legislative changes to women’s SPa address the longstanding inequalities that had
previously existed between men and women’s SPa. If State Pension age had not been
equalised, women would be spending over 40 per cent of their adult life in retirement
and this proportion would be continuing to increase. Even after equalising women's
State Pension age with men's, women will spend on average around two years more in
receipt of their State Pension because of their longer life expectancy.</p><p> </p><p>The
overall trend in the percentage of pensioners living in poverty is a dramatic fall
over several decades. We are forecast to spend over £120 billion on benefits for pensioners,
including £99 billion on the State Pension (2019/2020). In 2019/20 we are spending
£3.1 billion to increase benefit and pension rates for pensioners.</p><p> </p><p>The
welfare system continues to provide a safety-net for those experiencing hardship,
including that caused by unemployment, disability, and coping with caring responsibilities
which affect those unable to work and therefore most in need in the run up to their
State Pension age. Women who have had their State Pension age increased have the same
eligibility to working age in-work, out-of-work and disability benefits as a man with
the same date of birth.</p><p> </p><p>This matter has been comprehensively debated
on many occasions in Parliament, and any amendment to the current legislation which
creates a new inequality between men and women would be highly dubious as a matter
of law. The Government does not respond to individual EDMs.</p>
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