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OUR PICTURE shows children form Birstall
Methodist pre-school who dressed up and sang Christmas songs
to Santa in the Methodist Church.
(l-r) Charles Dorsey, Lewis Bates. Fay Panter, Sian Gurney, Freya
Littley, Dylan Locke, Morgan Hill, Olivia Taylor
NHW news
EVERY DAY 20 people are arrested and charged
as a result of calls to Crimestoppers.
By calling Crimestoppers you can pass on information about crime,
anonymously. Crimestoppers callers know what's going on but can't
or won't walk into a police station. You may know the person
involved, have overheard something you shouldn't, seen something
and don't know what to do. Whatever it is, if you know something
about a crime or a criminal, tell Crimestoppers what you know,
not who you are.
Crimestoppers key function is to ensure your information about
crime reaches the police or other relevant authority. You won't
be asked your name, nor to make a formal statement or to give
evidence in court. But perhaps most importantly, because you've
given information anonymously you needn't fear reprisals.
Even in this communications age picking up the phone is the easiest
and the best way to pass on your information to Crimestoppers.
They will never attempt to trace or record your call - not even
for quality control or monitoring purposes. They do not have
the facility to use 1471 to find a phone number. If you are at
all concerned reassure yourself by dialling 141 before 0800 555111,
which blocks your phone number. Or use a phone box - it's free.
The most valuable information comes from a phone call. Experienced
call operators can make sure they have all the correct information,
no opportunity for confusion over a name or address. Your information
can therefore be used to best effect in solving crimes.
Protect Your Presents
Thieves are put off stealing property that has been marked with
your postcode - they find it more difficult to sell on. More
importantly, when the police recover property from a thief they
can use your postcode to prove in court that the thief stole
it. Otherwise, there's nothing to stop the thief claiming the
item as his own.
Power tools, hand tools. lawnmowers, bikes, ladders, videos,
TVs, DVD players, stereos, kitchen appliances....the list goes
on. Luckily, all these items can be protected by postcoding or
marking. You can postcode items either with a UV Marker pen or
by engraving (both available free to all NHW members at our Saturday
advice shop, between 10am and 12noon on February 18).
Graphic design talent
TWO LONGSLADE students have been recognised
as being among the best young design talent within the county.
A-level students Rikesh Mistry and Laura Harbot (pictured below
recieving certificates from the Mayor & Mayoress of Charnwood,
Roger & Sheila Wilson) entered a competition to design a
Christmas card for the Loughborough based pharmaceutical giant
Astrazeneca.
Rikesh won 3rd place and Laura was Highly Commended, winning
a £100 donation to the school.
Graphics Teacher Mr Sandeep Tara said: "It is a credit to
the students and the college that we have a wealth of design
talent coming through. I hope this will give Rikesh and Laura
a boost in their confidence, they are excellent students who
will show similar talent in their studies and chosen careers."
Your Say...
The mobile post and equipment will be installed in the grass
at the corner of Greengate Lane/Loughborough Road. Others may
follow. Bus lands and alterations to Greengate Lane may also
take some of the turf. This means that little of the green will
be left. Why can't we see a larger and more detailed plan of
this section?
The mobile phone company will not consider any compromise. the
company claimed that a site at the A6/A46 junction would not
cover their requirements. I disagree, but I realise that a site
at the junction would be more expensive. Why can't we share the
disadvantages? After all we may lose part of the school playing
fields.
Les Briers
We would like to thank all friends, colleagues from Longslade
and neighbours for their support and kindness shown to Roy and
us during his illness. It was very heartening to see so many
friends at the service and we would like to wish you all the
best for the New Year.
Shirley, Stephen and Ashley Day
The ladies from the Birstall Breast Cancer awareness group
(BAGS) would like to thank everyone for their support on Saturday
January 21 at the Birstall Social Club. A great time was had
by all, as well as raising money for the charity group. To date
we have raised £6,800 and have already donated a lot to
the Glenfield Breastcare unit. We hope to repeat the sponsored
5km run/walk this summer on Sunday July 9 around Watermead Park
in Birstall. Anyone interested in taking part, helping or donating
a raffle prize can contact us on 07973 958338. All proceeds to
towards fighting breast cancer.
Emma, Liz, Helen, Jo and Racheal
I am writing to inform your readers that although the sales,
according to Viva! of duck meat have fallen recently; the duck
dishes in Chinese restaurants are still popular. If only people
knew about the suffering and miserable lives these ducks lie
in between dead and dying birds who receive no medical attention
and are kept in close proximity to each other.
If you care about animals and birds, even if you choose to eat
meat, but don't agree with factory farming, please visit Viva!
at www.viva.org.uk or contact them at 8 York Court, Wilder Street,
Bristol BS2 8QH
Heather Johnson
It is New Year's Eve 2005 as I sit down and try to compose
a letter that will convey my heartfelt thanks to so many people,
all of whom, but a few weeks ago, showered myself and daughters
Sarah & Tig with many cards, letters, phone calls, flowers,
hugs, kisses, poems and messages as news filtered through Birstall
and beyond, that Mary Miller, wife and Mum, had died suddenly
on Saturday December 3, 2005.
How can one express what those cards , messages, poems and warm
embraces meant to us all at that time.
It is impossible. None the less I hope I can reach out through
the pages of Birstall Post and say thank you, not only for the
compassion shown to us as a family over these last weeks but
also to thank so many who shared Mary's everyday life.
I'm sure many of you will recall her and her friend Betty's frequent
shopping trips on Mondays and Fridays - the little silver Mini
dashing from Davis Chemist, Barclays Bank, Pete's Greengrocers,
along to Somerfields and the Library. At each port of call she
would enjoy a laugh and a joke and in particular with those wonderful
ladies on the tills at Somerfields.
Would she ever sort out how to use her credit card and PIN number.
That was Mary, completely scatty, always forgetting things, talking
to everybody but bringing a smile to all.. Our thanks go to each
and every one of you who she met on those shopping jaunts for
bringing pleasure week in and week out.
A special mention to the Highcliffe Townswomen's Guild, in particular
those members of your Social Studies Group - Val, Jill, Polly,
Diane, Winnie, Julie, Eileen - oh so many I cannot name them
all. You shared many evenings together. I'm not sure you realised
how much she enjoyed your company but she did and it enriched
her life.
So, as this evening draws ever closer to midnight and a beginning
of another year, I'm left only to try and thank my neighbours
of Hallam Avenue for their understanding and for their willingness
to put an arm around my shoulder, to let me cry occasionally
and also to laugh at some shared memory of Mary.
If I could embrace Sarah and Tig's friends in those same thanks
it would go someway towards showing my appreciation to them.
I cannot close without a special thank you to Betty, her friend
and companion for many years. Mary shared all her moments of
sorrow and all her happiness and laughter with Betty. They were
a team and now she will no longer trot across the road to have
a sherry and a natter. I'm sure however she will be close at
hand somewhere and we can all occasionally talk to her.
So thank you all, we as a family now go forwards to 2006 carrying
with us not only memories of a much loved wife, Mum, Mum-in-law
and Nan, but also those memories of all who came and brought
us comfort.
Keith Miller
PS Keith, Sarah & Tig would like to add our thanks to all
friends, neighbours, relations, work colleagues, the Townswomen's
Guild and Electricity Bowls Club - all who donated so generously
to LOROS and the Laura Centre in Mary's memory. A combined sum
of £596 was raised.
Mary would have liked that. Thank you.
I am writing to complain about the disgusting state of some
of Birstall's pavements with regard to dog dirt, the Meadway
being one example.
I have two young children, and we frequently have to manoeuvre
ourselves around dog dirt. The children often get it on their
shoes which is very unpleasant and can be a serious health risk.
Dog walkers, please think of others and clear up after your dog.
Name and address supplied
I would like to wholly endorse John Hoskins letter in the
January issue regarding the new groundsman at the cemetery.
Having been a very frequent visitor of the cemetery for a good
number of years now, I would like to add my thanks to the outgoing
groundsman who did an excellent job for well over a decade, I
am sure that there are many others out there who share this appreciation.
Mrs Helen Wilkie
I do not like to criticise Birstall Parish Council as in most
ways it does an excellent job but I do not agree with its proposal
to put tarmac all over the former bowling green site in order
to create a car park for 60 cars. It seems a very drastic, unfriendly
move to deprive the village of an entire area which has been
used for sport. Surely part of the site should continue to be
used for sport/recreation.
During January I have visited the School Lane car park over several
days at various times to see how many cars park on the area next
to the present bowling green. When The Crossways car park and
the one at the end of Sibson Road are full any shopper parking
there has only about 50 yards or so further to walk through to
Sibson Road than would anyone having to walk from the proposed
new car park. Monday to Friday I have never seen more than two
cars parked there. It is only on Saturdays that several cars
park there. Apart from Saturdays the School Lane car park is
a very under-used facility. Therefore the proposed new car park
would in effect just be created for shoppers on Saturday afternoons
and perhaps for some football match spectators. With two banks,
two building societies, lots of shops and a cafe at the Loughborough
Road end or near that end of Sibson Road, it seems more of a
priority to provide more car parking in that area.
Several months ago I did suggest that the former bowling green
site should be used for a Sports Hall but, as Peter West pointed
out in his letter, that would be beyond the resources of Birstall
Parish Council. At the moment Carl Gunns would like to have larger
premises to use as a gym for his boxing training sessions which
have proved to be so successful and so popular with many young
people (and indeed parents) in Birstall and beyond. The Parish
Council unfortunately is unable to provide larger premises and
it will indeed be sad and very disappointing for many young people
(and parents) in Birstall if Carl Gunns finds larger premises
elsewhere and moves his training sessions from Birstall. Therefore
why can't there be a compromise concerning the new car park?
Why can't just half the site be used for just 30 cars or perhaps
two-thirds of the site for about 40 cars? The remainder of the
site could be reserved and used eventually for a one-storey building
- part of which could be a gymnasium used by Carl Gunns for some
sessions and at other times by other young people not interested
in boxing. The other part of the building could be used as a
Youth Centre to replace the rather inadequate, unsatisfactory
venue for young people in the former Parish Council office (now
also used by the Police). Such a building would no doubt be also
beyond the resources of the Parish Council to provide. Therefore
my suggestion is that the parents of young people attending the
sessions run by Carl Gunns get together and form a committee
and establish a Youth Project. Such a Project would have its
own identity, independent of the Parish Council but hopefully
receiving some financial support from the Council (this is the
situation now at Syston with their Youth Project). Such a Project
would be much more likely to attract grants and donations from
various sources, than would the Parish Council, to raise funds
for a suitable building.
If the Parish Council are prepared to provide the site, surely
some of the parents will be prepared to accept the challenge
to establish a Youth Project and create a suitable building for
their children and hopefully prevent Carl Gunns moving from Birstall.
I'm sure the committee running a Youth Project would be able
to get advice and support from the County Youth Advisory Service.
Jex Woods
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Library closed for four months
BIRSTALL LIBRARY will be closed on Saturday
February 18 for refurbishment.
It will not re-open for approximately four months, says the County
Council.
From Monday February 20 a mobile library service will be provided.
On Mondays and Tuesdays it will be open from 10am to noon and
2-4pm on the Somerfield car park. On Thursdays and Fridays it
will be open at the same times at Birstall Methodist Church car
park.
Throughout the period of closure, readers will not be able to
drop off items for the Birstall Post at the library. Items can
be left at Longslade College reception or Highcliffe School,
Greengate Lane.
Margaret Bellamy, Head of the County's Library Service, said:
"It's been 10 yrs since the last refurbishment and the library
is looking very dated. We want to bring it up to date and modernise
it. We have a good capital programme for libraries and Birstall
was quite high up on our list for a refurbishment."
She added: "The library will be redecorated in a blue and
white colour scheme. There will be changes to the layout, in
particular, the upstairs lift will open into the children's play
area and staff offices will be moved to the front of the library
first floor. There will be new stock, more computers and comfortable
chairs."
"We have had very positive feedback from users of other
libraries we have refurbished, such as Coalville, Wigston and
Loughborough."
Birstall residents can use Beaumont Leys library, next to Tesco
or Leicester's Central lending library but they will need to
take some identification and join, as City libraries are managed
by Leicester City Council and you will not be able to use your
County library card.
St James
IN THE dull months of January and February
many people's thoughts turn longingly towards the summer months;
we think of holidays and enjoying warmer, longer days.
One pleasure of the winter months is to be able to plan ahead,
and this is something that our local Anglican churches have been
doing.
In the next few months you will probably see in the press and
elsewhere an invitation to 'Celebrate 80!' this is not necessarily
a celebration for sprightly octogenarians as you may have thought!
This year is the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Leicester
diocese (which is the grouping of all Church of England churches
in and around Leicester city and the county). It is perhaps surprising
that, compared with smaller places like Lincoln or Lichfield,
Leicester did not have a bishop or cathedral, until 1926 - previously
the area was under the charge of the Bishop of Peterborough.
So this summer there are to be a number of special events, starting
with a visit from Dr David Hope, the former Archbishop of York
who will lead a service on Sunday March 12 at 4pm in the Cathedral,
and climaxing with a Big Day Out at Abbey Park on Saturday June
3 to which everyone is invited. The highlight will be a huge
Communion service led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Head
of the Church of England, and there will be activities to enjoy
in the park from 11am until 5pm. We shall all pray for fine weather!
At a more local level summer plans include another parish holiday,
which has been organised, following the success of a similar
venture last year, at Cober Hill, near Scarborough in July and
there will be coach outings to Crich tramway museum in May and
to St Alban's Cathedral in September. Meanwhile, February brings
the ancient festival of Candlemas, celebrated at a joint service
at Wanlip on February 2 at 7.30pm. Then on Shrove Tuesday February
28 there will be an evening outing for a meal at the Quorndon
Fox (ring 0116 2673761 for further details).
Methodist church news
The Slipper that Didn't Fit!
In the Men's Pantomime, Cinderella, a minor crisis occurred when
it was discovered that the silver slipper no longer fitted Cinderella!
Jack Bishop plays the part, quite a young man. When the costumes
were being sorted in November a suitable sized slipper was found
- it fitted nicely. Alas young men's feet grow and in January
it was discovered that the slipper no longer fitted! You will
have to come along to the pantomime (Feb14-18) to discover whether
the slipper finally does fit. Only a small handful of tickets
remain tel: 2122513 (between 7 & 9pm).
Having a Clearout?
Then do look out for any items suitable for our Auction on April
1. This fund raising event is entirely for church funds. John
Kilby is organising this event and is keen to remind friends
that for the past few years the church has failed to raise sufficient
funds to match the costs, and John is hopeful that this fund
raising event will help the church to 'balance the books'. Some
things we cannot sell (electrical appliances or older foam filled
furniture). Most other things we can. Tel: 2673239 for more details.
If you can transport your items to one of several garages (around
Birstall) which are acting as storerooms this would be helpful.
An Evening of Song
Loughborough Ladies Choir with guest soloists will be singing
on our premises on Saturday February 25. Tickets are £5
(tel:2675973) and all proceeds will go to the Lord Mayor's charity,
which is Glebe House in Loughborough. I have it on good authority
that you will also see our Lady Mayoress, complete with chain,
serving the tea!
Charnwood Christmas Shelter Appeal
So far we raised £421.50 for the Christmas appeal. As the
money was needed at Christmas, a sum of £350 was sent in
November 'in advance' of the fund raising. The team who ran the
shelter at Christmas were delighted both with the funds and also
the carload of bedding, toiletries, towels and food we were also
able to send.
Club’s new site
BIRSTALL RUGBY football club has a new
home on the internet.
www.birstallrfc.tk has been designed by Dave Bonser. The club
would particularly welcome old photos for the gallery and also
would like to contact any former players.
Contact the club via the website.
Dinner guests
CARL GUNNS and Andy Corbett from Gunns'
Gym were two of 80 invited guests at a dinner hosted by the Chairman
of Leicestershire County Council, David Bill, in January.
The aim of the event was to recognise the contribution made by
community groups and volunteers, and representatives from Age
Concern, the Scouts, the Red Cross and Citizens' Advice Bureau
were invited.
Andy Corbett said: "It was a lovely evening and interesting
to meet so many volunteers from all different walks of life".
The dinner was held at County Hall, Glenfield.
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Club starts year with win
THIS SEASON was always going to be a tough
one for Birstall Rugby Club.
With the abolishment of the Merit Table, Birstall were introduced
into a new Leicestershire League, containing many bigger and
more experienced clubs with stronger teams than that of Birstall
at present. Many of the original Birstall team have now either
hung up their boots, or only play occasional matches. However,
with many new recruits and youngsters recently introduced into
the first team, this season was always going to be seen as a
learning curve.
At their match against Anstey RFC in January, the hard work of
many players finally paid off. Throughout the season there have
been many near misses, and some outstanding performances from
players both old and new. But, the final edge has seemed miles
away.
That game was a home fixture played on Stonehill School playing
fields, the pitch was in good condition and the weather was ideal.
Opposition Anstey RFC are a team that Birstall have met on many
occasions previously with mixed results. the home team pack consisted
of mostly long term, powerful, regular players, with an average
weight of around 16 stone, the backs were mainly new young players,
spurred on by the presence of team coach Rupert Bedder, team
Captain Tony Quansah, and Club President, Loughborough MP Andy
Reed. Birstall started the game at a brisk pace, and enjoyed
possession of the ball for a long period of play, eventually
taking the lead with a penalty from Rupert Bedder. As the half
moved on, play began to even out, but Birstall were taking control
in the scrum, an important advantage and a morale boost to the
backs. Two more penalties were scored in the first half although
these were awarded to Anstey giving them a half time lead of
6 to 3.
After a stiff team talk during the half time break from Captain
Tony Quansah, Birstall restarted the match and immediately stepped
up the pace again. This unfortunately led to changes being made
to the Birstall pack, as hooker Chris Jones exited the pitch
through injury. Tom Wright moved into the position between props,
Phill Lewin and Glynn Brown with Chris Barbrook and Nick White
linked together at second row, and Ivan Smith made his entry
to move in at back row.
The forced change did not deter Birstall, in fact it made the
pack even stronger. The game progressed with all team members,
from both sides, giving their all and eventually the determination
of Birstall's players paid dividends, with tries scored by flanker
Mark Simmons and Andy Reed adding the final points to steer his
club to a more than well earned victory, Birstall coming out
winners 16-6.
The new look Birstall team, will now head back to the training
ground for even more hard work to ensure that this was not a
one off success, and step into the next match with the confidence
of this week's victory to spur them on.
With the loss of many original first team members through retirement,
injury and other commitments, Birstall are looking for yet more
players to join the squad. Both experienced and young players
are needed to strengthen and maintain this 30-year-old club.
It is hoped that by next season Birstall will once again have
a competitive side capable of many victories like the team of
five years ago that was crowned Merit Table Champions. Training
is at the Co-op Sports Ground, Birstall Road, 7.30pm on Wednesday
evenings. Alternatively the club can be contacted at The Trees
Public House, Stonehill Avenue, the home of Birstall Rugby Club,
or by contacting Tony Quansah on 01509 236513 or 07811 567803.
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Age Concern Info
Chip and Signature Cards
This is a repeat of all the information published last month.
For those customers unable to use a PIN number because of a disability,
banks and building societies are providing CHIP AND SIGNATURE
cards so that those customers can continue to sign to make card
payments.
These customers need to contact their card company BEFORE FEBRUARY
14, 2006 as their old Signature card will no longer be valid
for making payments after this date.
Helpline for Vulnerable Energy Customers
The Home Heat Helpline has been set up by the Energy Retail Association
(ERA) to help tackle fuel poverty. It is the first free helpline
for all energy customers who have difficulty heating their homes
or paying for gas and electricity, regardless of who their supplier
is. The helpline will be able to assist vulnerable people by:
o identifying grants available to make homes more energy efficient
o arranging alternative payment methods to suit the caller's
circumstances
o accessing a priority service team in each gas and electricity
supplier to give specialist advice; and
o linking with other support agencies
(Energy Retail Association Press Release, October 31, 2005)
Tackling Age Discrimination in the Workplace
The Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD)
and the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) have published a
joint survey of their members' attitudes and practices relating
to age discrimination. The research reveals that 59% of respondents
have experienced age discrimination at work over their career.
There has however been a drop in reported discrimination since
a comparable survey in 1995: experience of age discrimination
in job applications has fallen from 44% to 25% and in redundancy
from 15% to 5%. About 22% of respondents report that age is still
a factor in recruitment decisions (down from 55% in 1995), with
16% reporting it as a factor in redundancy. Decisions about redundancy
may be taken directly because of age (13% of respondents) or
for reasons related to age - length of service (28%) or employment
costs (28%).
The research raises concerns about the limited spread of good
practice. Fewer than half of responding employers reported monitoring
the age profile of their workforce, while only 8% specifically
target older workers, and only a quarter do not have an upper
age limit for 'graduate recruitment'. Despite 61% providing training
in equal opportunities, only 12% include age. More positively,
44% report they have removed age from recruitment application
forms. Employers report a series of policies to retain older
workers including offering training (76%), mentoring opportunities
(41%), or carers advice (25%).
Finally, the report looks at retirement. It reports that 24%
of respondents would change their own retirement decision if
part time work was available. However, only 34% actually offer
all older workers the chance to work part time. While forced
retirement remains the norm, 26% of employers do not use fixed
retirement ages and 89% oppose removing employment rights at
65. The survey finds that a third of respondents identify practical
problems with the Government's proposals to introduce a duty
for employers to consider requests from employers to stay on
after retirement age.
Tackling Age Discrimination in the Workplace : Creating a New
Age for All 28pp. ISBN : 0859464253. Available free from: CMI,
Public Affairs Department, 2 Savoy Court, Strand, London WC2R
OEZ. Tel: 020 7421 2721. Fax: 020 7497 0463 Email: research@managers.og.uk
Work and Families Bill
The Work and Families Bill was introduced to the House of Commons
on October 18, 2005. This Bill makes provision about the statutory
rights to leave and pay in connection with the birth and adoption
of children,. Among the measures it includes is the intention
to extend the right to request flexible working to carers of
adults from April 2007. This will mean that qualifying employees
will be able to apply for a change in the terms and conditions
of their employment, in order to better balance their work and
caring responsibilities. The person making the application will
need to have some relationship with the person receiving care.
Details of this and all other qualifying requirements will be
laid out in the regulations.
Work and Families Bill. 23pp. Price £4, ISBN : 0215706293.
Work and Families Bill - Explanatory Notes. 19pp Price £3.50,
ISBN : 0215802160. Available from The Stationery Office, PO Box
29, Norwich NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Fax: 0870 600 5533.
Email : customer.services@tso.co.uk.
Women and Pensions : Government Report
A new report by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is
intended to provide the background evidence on the key factors
that influence women's retirement income in order to feed into
the debate on pensions. The foreword states that following the
Pensions Commission Report at the end of November the Government
will develop its response, with issues affecting women at the
heart of this.
The report states that long-term equality between men and women
depends on improvements in education, skills and employment opportunities,
supported by flexible working arrangements and family-friendly
policies. While women today are more likely to be in the labour
market than previous generations, there are still differences.
Around 27% of women aged from 16 to State Pension age are economically
inactive, compared to 17% of men. And while 40% of women who
are out of the labour market have caring responsibilities, for
men it is health problems that are the most common reason for
not working. Of those women who are in paid work, over 40% work
part-time compared to 10% of men. Median hourly rates of women
working full-time are around 86% of those of men, while part-time
female workers earn just 57% of the male full-time hourly rate.
Increasing rates of divorce and cohabitation will also mean that
fewer women in the future will be able to depend on rights derived
from a husband. Nearly a quarter of children (24%) are in families
headed by a lone parent. Employment rates among lone mothers
are lower than among those with partners - 55% as opposed to
72%. The peak age group for caring for an ill or disabled adult
is 45-64; 27% of women and 19% of men have caring responsibilities.
Turning to State Pension provision, new analysis has found that
30% of women reaching 60 now have entitlement to a full basic
State Pension (although not all choose to draw it straight away).
Of these, 24% have the entitlement based on their own contribution
record and the rest rely fully or partly on their late or ex-husband.
The Government's Actuary Department has estimated that there
will be significant improvements over the next 20 years and that
by 2025 both men and women reaching State Pension age will be
entitled to an average 90% of the full pension. Just over 80%
of women and a slightly lower proportion of men reaching State
Pension age will be entitled to a full pension.
At a single point of time around 2.2 million women and 1.6 million
men were not building up any State Pension in their own right.
Of these women, 600,000 were in paid work with less than 50,000
having more than one job. Most of the 3.6 million adult carers
in the UK are accruing State Pension rights but 390,000 are not,
including 120,000 caring for more than 20 hours a week.
One of the chapters looks at financial planning and decision
making, pointing to earlier research by the DWP which found that
pensions were not high on women's agendas and that although younger
women are more likely to value financial independence, tradition
gender roles and financial dependence persist among many couples.
In terms of private pensions, increased employment and earnings
will mean higher pensions in the future but women will still
on average receive less than men due to interrupted working lives.
Overall 38% of women of working age are contributing to a private
pension compared to 46% of men. And when women do enter a private
pension scheme they are likely to contribute less. A difference
in private income is the key determinant to women having lower
incomes in retirement.
The report considers particular issues for the 2.35 million women
in the country from ethnic minorities. Participation in paid
work is low for some groups particularly Pakistani and Bangladeshi
women. A range of factors are likely to contribute to this, including
larger families and cultural differences. As a consequence of
different life patterns, women from some ethnic groups are likely
to be disadvantaged in terms of both state and private pensions.
In conclusion, the report notes improvements particularly in
State Pension coverage but continuing disadvantage in terms of
retirement income for many women. It raises a number of questions
which will be part of the ongoing debate.
Women and Pensions - The Evidence. 151pp.ISBN: 1843887630. Available
free from Jane Stewart, DWP, Room 649, The Adelphi, 1-11 John
Adam Street, London WC2N 6HT. Tel: 020 7712 2020. Email: women-and-pensions@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.
Also available on the Internet at www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2005/wp/women-pensions.pdf.
Jex Woods
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