IMPACT and other unions are pressing the Government over the treatment of workers who will be affected by the abolition of the transitional state pension, which goes to workers aged between 65 and 66 who retire and don’t take up another job.

The Department of Social Protection previously told ICTU that these workers will be able to sign on for jobseekers benefit. Following representations, unions now hope social welfare legislation will allow them to sign on just once to receive the benefit for the full year.

The changes generally have no implications for IMPACT members on ‘class D’ social insurance, or those who have a contractual option to continue in employment to age 66. Staff with access to employment-based supplementary schemes will face administrative rather than financial changes.

Unions are continuing to lobby over the loss facing other workers affected by planned changes to the qualifying age for state pensions and IMPACT will circulate further information once the Social Welfare Bill is published.