SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS.

Evening Star, Issue 25619, 20 October 1945, Page 12

SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS.

TO THE EDITOK. Sir, —I would be glad.if you could allow me to draw attention to an apparent injustice to unmarried women compared with widows under the social security scheme. I understand that widows without children, who have been married for 15 years, are eligible for a benefit when they reach the age of 50 years, while unmarried women must go on working and paying their 2s 6d in the £ until they are 60 years of age, when they qualify for the age benefit. If this is correct, it seems to me that the extra 10 years which the unmarried woman is compelled to go on working while her more fortunate sisters are able to enjoy freedom from financial worry creates a glaring anomaly, and warrants immediate attention from those responsible for the scheme.—l am, etc., Born to Labour. October 18.

[The department explains :—A widow does, not receive an age benefit at the age of 50. The Social Security Act provides that a widow's benefit may be paid to a widow who is over 50 years of age provided she became a widow after attaining the age of 50, and that her marriage had subsisted for not less than five years. A woman of 50 may also receive a'widow's benefit provided she became a widow after she attained the age of 40 years, that she was married for not less than 10 years, and also that not less than 15 years have expired since the date of her marriage. The widow's benefit payable in a case where a woman has not had children is 30s a week, compared with the £2 a week age benefit payable at age 60. A woman who has been married for 15 years, and consequently out of the labour market, wouldi have much greater difficulty in obtaining employment than another who had not this break in her employment.—Ed., E.S.]