MINERS’ PENSIONS

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 5th Year

Issue

Issue No.

4

Date Released

Dec 1951

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1MINERS’ PENSIONS
2. 2PERSONAL CALL: 2.WE VISIT BLAYDON BURN
3. 3REAPING THE WIND

Story

Story No. within this Issue

1 / 3

Summary

BFI synopsis: an explanation of a new pension scheme for the mining industry. Filmed at Snowdon Colliery, Dover accounting office.
NCB Commentary - At pits all over the country, the last pay day in October was the day miners were officially invited to join their own new pension scheme.
A scheme like this isn’t always easy to understand, and there’s been a good deal of discussion at collieries. Here, 18 year old Cecil Armstrong, 60 year old Samuel Hadfield, and Francis Orchard, aged 30, seem to be in a spot of bother.
So they went across to the pay office for an explanation. The clerk’s quite used to dealing with these enquiries by now, and he took them straight over to an accounting machine.
Let’s take 18 year old Cecil first, he said. Now you’ll pay in 1/6 a week - that’s £3-18-0 a year. The Coal Board will put in two bob a week - another £5-4-0 a year. Together that makes £9-2-0 contributions a year, until you’ve got 3,510 points.
What are points? Well, every week you make a contribution you get one ‘unit’. With extras for good attendance and averaging 6 shifts a week you can knock up 81 units a year. You stop contributing when you’ve got 3,510 units - in your case that’ll be after 43 years odd, when you’re 61 1/2.
Then at 65 you’ll draw out £1-10-0 a week, which is £78 a year, much more than your total contribution over the years of £169-13-0.
Now let’s see about 30 year old Francis. 1/6 a week from you and two bob a week from the Coal Board over 35 years totals £318-10-0 paid in.
Ah, but by the time you’re 65, paying in for 35 years, you’ll only have 2,835 units. All right, you still get £1-2-6 a week pension, which is a lot more than you paid in. Take a look for yourself.
And what about 60 year old Sam, who’s been in the pits all his life? You’re going to be a bit out of things, aren’t you? No, not exactly. You see, you’ll get a credit straight away of 962 units. All men over 47 will get a credit for their past service. Now, in your remaining 5 years you can run up another 405 units, giving you a total of 1,373. You’ll get a smaller amount, of course, 11/6 a week, but that’s £29-18-0 a year, and in your 5 years you’ll have only paid in £19-10-0 in all.
So it’s not a bad deal, especially when you remember that there’s no income tax on what you pay in, and that after only 1 unit’s credit you’re eligible for widow’s pensions, children’s and orphans’ allowances, and immediate payments if you fall ill and retire.
The sooner you get in the better, especially for the younger men. All over the coalfields men are signing on now before the scheme gets under way in the New Year.

Researcher Comments

BFI sources suggest that this story was filmed on the 2nd November 1951. Commentary recorded 9 November 1951.

Keywords

Business and commerce; Mining; Social welfare

Locations

Kent; England

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for Synopsis
The National Archives COAL 32   /3 Scripts for Mining Review, 1949-1956

Credits:

Director

Basil Somner

Production Co.

Documentary Technicians Alliance

Camera

John Gunn

Sponsor

National Coal Board