A 65-year-old Waspi woman, soon to be eligible for her long-awaited state pension, shares her anguish over the lost years with her late husband due to extended work commitments. Kim Smith, residing in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, expressed to i her sorrow as she approaches her 66th birthday, which serves as a painful reminder of the sacrifices made and the time lost with her husband Neil, whom she was married to for 42 years.
Ms. Smith is among the 3.8 million Waspi (Women Against State Pension Inequality) born in the 1950s, impacted by the sudden change in state pension age from 60 to 66, without adequate prior notice.
As a mother of one and grandmother of three, she recounts how the additional six-year wait for her state pension drastically impacted her life, forcing her to navigate the challenges of balancing work responsibilities with caring for her terminally ill husband.
The financial strain resulted in exhausting their savings, ultimately leading to the difficult decision of relocating from their home to a rental property due to financial constraints.
Expressing her sentiments, she shares, “I harbor immense anger and sadness over everything that was taken away from me.” Reflecting on her upcoming 66th birthday, she reveals the mixed emotions she anticipates, feeling distressed by the realization that she could have enjoyed more meaningful time with her husband before his passing.
“While the prospect of finally receiving my state pension in May brings some relief and assistance,” she continues, “it cannot compensate for the profound losses I’ve endured.”
“It’s heartbreaking, and it deprived me of valuable moments with my husband,” laments Ms. Smith, recounting the upheaval in their lives. Both she and her husband worked as pub restaurant managers for 35 years, but their world shattered upon Neil’s diagnosis with kidney cancer in 2014. Ms. Smith had anticipated retiring at 60 in 2018, unaware of any changes to this plan.
As Neil’s cancer progressed to his lungs and bones, rendering him unable to work, Ms. Smith made the difficult decision to leave her job to care for him. However, it wasn’t until she turned 60 that she discovered, through newspaper articles, that her state pension wouldn’t be available as expected, but rather at the age of 66.
“We were compelled to downsize and relinquish our home due to the loss of my husband’s income,” she explains. As he battled terminal illness, rendering him unable to work, and I devoted myself to his care, we found ourselves in a modest rented cottage, relying solely on our limited savings to get by.