SIR – The importance of the advice to check State pension entitlements directed at older women by Pensions Minister Ms Eagle (T&A, March 8) should not be underestimated, as any born before April 5, 1950, will find out to their cost very soon.

State Pension at 60 for women, granted as a WW2 expediency to encourage them to work on munitions has ended, with the new common retirement age of 65 phased in over five years for those born between 1950 and 1955.

However, the more recently revised qualifying period of National Insurance, now 30 years for men and women, previously 44 or 39 years is not being phased in, and will apply arbitrarily from April 6, 2010 in a few weeks’ time!

Women born in 1950, before April 5, will still need 39 years NIC contributions for a full basic pension but those born after April 6 need only 30 years, which will leave thousands in serious difficulty.

For example, those who have taken time off work to look after children or partners or parents in ill health before the introduction of Home Responsibilities Protection in 1978, will be faced with a vastly reduced pension or having to pay substantial voluntary NICs – if they can afford them – to make up the shortfall.

No Government can be all things to all people, but to introduce two major changes in an important area like pension provision, obviously without considering the full effects, is very poor indeed.

D S Boyes, Rodley Lane, Bramley