Liam Foster

Towards a new political economy of pensions? The implications for women

This article employs a political economy approach to assess the changing nature of women’s pension provision. Initially it provides an overview of the current context showing that many female pensioners are without access to significant pension entitlements in their own right. Then it examines the history of women’s pensions over the last 30 years with reference to both state and private forms of provision. It considers the pension strategies of Thatcher and New Labour governments and their impact on women’s pension situation. This includes an evaluation of recent New Labour proposals, such as Personal Accounts, a raise in the basic State Pension age and reintroduction of the link to earnings. Finally, the paper concludes that these proposals do not represent the emergence of a new political economy of pensions which better reflects the needs of female pensioners rather they are a response to the challenges of an ageing population.

Caught between virtue and ideological necessity. A century of pension policies in the UK

Abstract This article describes the introduction and subsequent development of old age pensions in the UK. In accounting for nearly a century of pensions history it eschews the idea of linear progression and, instead, charts the interrelated histories that constitute the complex picture of retirement income. These include public pension provision, starting in 1908, the extension of social insurance in the late 1940s and the reform of pensions from a neo-liberal perspective in the 1980s. It also charts the emergence of occupational pension schemes and their impact on social stratification in old age. The article emphasises that, despite changes in pension provision over this long period and the transformation in work force composition and family structure, many of the same issues that concerned policy makers and campaigners in this field a 100 years ago are still present today. Examples include the questions of how to encourage and reward thrift, maintain financial viability and eradicate poverty. The article includes some speculation about the future direction of pensions policy in the UK and, finally, places this country in a European pensions policy context.

Women's pensions in the European Union and the current economic crisis

The current financial and economic crisis has serious implications for the underlying ageing challenge. It has demonstrated weaknesses in the design and long-term sustainability of numerous pension schemes. While many EU countries have undertaken measures to adapt to these challenges it is important to ensure that the effects of the crisis and austerity plans do not adversely affect women. Initially this article outlines womens employment and pension situation before considering the implications of the crisis on their pension prospects. Finally, it highlights the need for in-depth discussions about pension systems in the EU which place women at the centre.

Active ageing and pensions in the European Union

Pensions and their future sustainability are a central policy concern throughout the European Union. Much of the dominant policy discourse around ageing and pension provision over the last decade has focussed on postponing retirement and prolonging employment. These measures are fundamental to the notion of “active ageing”. Initially this article briefly outlines perceptions of ageing following World War II and how perspectives on ageing changed before the emergence of an active ageing framework is considered. This framework is then explored in relation to the current European pensions context. Finally, it discusses ways in which the active ageing framework can be utilised further to improve the pension situation of older people. This includes the use of a more comprehensive approach to active ageing that encompasses a life-course perspective. This framework should emphasise the potential benefits older people present for society and their well-being.

Defamilisation and familisation measures – can they reduce the adverse effects of Pro-Market Pension Reforms On Women In Hong Kong And The Uk?

This article explores the impact of defamilisation and familisation measures for women with caring responsibilities and their implications for access to pensions in later life in Hong Kong and the UK in the context of pro-market pension reforms. The first part of the article discusses pro-market pension reforms and their effects on women, the second discusses the potential role of defamilisation and familisation measures in reducing the adverse effects of pro-market pension reforms, and the third focuses on pension policies and examples of defamilisation and familisation measures in Hong Kong and the UK. Finally, on the basis of the discussion of the link between defamilisation and familisation measures and pension measures for women, we assert that both Hong Kong and the UK still have much to do in developing multi-option measures throughout the life course, measures that could limit future inequalities in retirement between men and women.

A Golden Silence? Acts of Remembrance and Commemoration at U.K. Football Games

This article reviews the use of minute’s silences and applause at football (soccer) games in the United Kingdom, considering why acts of remembrance take place and for whom. Examining the variation in commemoration, the article explores the extent to which these acts serve as liminal events to reinforce or diminish football fans’ sense of (“fictive”) kinship and cohesion. Uncertainty about how to conduct them, and their purpose, is complicated by the way in which they are now used for a wide variety of people, regardless of their affiliation to a club, alongside their organization and spontaneity.

Young people and attitudes towards pension planning

There has been much concern about people not saving enough for retirement in the UK and how to encourage further saving. This has led to pension policy developments, including the introduction of auto-enrolment, a form of ‘soft’ compulsion, to ‘nudge’ people to save. Given that young working age cohorts have longest to contribute to pensions and have traditionally been least likely to save for retirement, it is important to investigate their attitudes and expectations in relation to pensions and the potential effects of auto-enrolment on their future retirement income. This study utilises the findings of thirty interviews with young people aged eighteen to thirty about their opportunities and attitudes towards pensions, and identifies a variety of factors which affect pension contributions, including knowledge and advice, trust and myopia. It then focuses explicitly on auto-enrolment before concluding that if auto-enrolment is to succeed, people need to be reassured beyond doubt that it ‘pays to save’.

Gender and pensions: an analysis of factors affecting women's private pension scheme membership in the United Kingdom.

There has been considerable debate about the future sustainability of pension provision and, in particular, the precarious position of many female pensioners. The reasons for womens lower participation rates in private pensions than mens require greater investigation. Using the General Lifestyle Survey (GLF) 2008, this article examines the impact of various characteristics on the likelihood of contributing to a private pension, such as educational attainments, income, occupational group, full-time/part-time status, and whether an individual has any dependent children. It shows that these characteristics play an important role in access to private pensions. Finally, it suggests that strategies to alleviate disadvantages must take into account the complex circumstances that individuals experience throughout the life course, which result in gendered pension provision.

Do Women Teachers Get a Fair Deal? An Assessment of Teachers' Pensions

There has been considerable debate about the future of pension provision over recent years and, in particular, the precarious position of many female pensioners. However, scant attention has been given to women contributing to occupational pensions despite gender differences in levels of accumulation. This article uses evidence from interviews with twenty retired female teachers to outline the difficulties women in the teaching profession have faced in building up occupational pension entitlements. Finally it highlights that pensions research needs to consider females with access to occupational pension provision to understand the situation of pensioners with a minimal pension income in retirement.

Defamilisation and Leave Policies – a Comparative Study of 14 East Asian and Non-East Asian Countries

ABSTRACT This article joins the international debate on whether there is a unique East Asian welfare model. It examines the concept of defamilisation and compares various leave policies (maternity leave, paternity leave and extended parental leave) in five East Asian and nine non-East Asian countries. The welfare index method is used to classify these countries into different groupings. The findings show that the East Asian countries are not always internally homogeneous (being similar in key features), nor are they externally heterogeneous (showing significant differences from the others). Therefore, the existence of a unique East Asian welfare model is still in doubt.