Industry says Ros Altmann has been unfairly criticised
The criticism of Ros Altmann by Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) has been unfair according to PP research.
Many argued she had inherited the situation from the previous government and she had been vilified.
A majority of Pension Buzz's 170 respondents also thought the view public sector pensions are too generous was correct.
Many also worried any tax relief reform which was too harsh on higher earners would be a problem for the sector generally.
The majority of respondents (57%) thought that the pensions minister had been unfairly criticised over changes to the state pension age for women born in the 1950s.
Many argued she had inherited the situation from the previous government and she had been vilified by the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign.
A commentator said: "It is totally unreasonable. This is essentially something that was announced in 1995, admittedly with some subsequent increase in pace, so the arguments by WASPI are fallacious."
Another said it was up to the individual to take responsibility and ensure they were informed about any changes to their pension.
Three in ten took the opposite view and criticised Altmann for changing her view on the equalisation since becoming pensions minister.
A critic said: "Ros Altmann has proved ineffective as the new pensions minister. She has clearly changed her position on the inequity in escalating the retirement date of women born in the early 1950's since her appointment."
Just over one out of eight were undecided.
Nearly two thirds of people surveyed agreed that public sector schemes were too generous.
Many argued the public sector was subsidised by the private sector and that this was a not sustainable situation given the inequality between them.
A pundit said: "Gold plated pensions for some, full risk for others (who have to pay for the former). Public sector should have pensions on the same basis as the private sector."
Another respondent observed it had been a very long time since public sector workers were paid poorly and that all workers deserved a fair and protected pension scheme.
However, almost 30% disagreed with the opinion that public sector pensions were always more generous.
One said: "The average Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) pension at £5000 per annum is hardly gold plated. What worries me is that there appears to be a race to provide inadequate pensions which ultimately will increase state benefit provision in the longer term."
Only 7% were undecided.
A majority (64%) of the industry said any tax relief reform which was too draconian on higher earners would be a problem for the sector generally.
Less money in the system would lead to increased charges across the board and higher rate earners would lose interest in pensions.
This in turn would be bad for poorer workers. "It is a problem - and depending on what is announced [in the Budget 2016], may well cause some providers to withdraw from the market. It would also be a concern if the decision makers at an employer become disengaged from the pension scheme," said a respondent.
Pensions were being attacked, according to a commentator who added: "And our children and grandchildren's generation will be more hard up than us unless [George] Osborne can be shown the error of his attitude."
Nonetheless 29% disagreed with one saying: "I have never bought the 'won't be supported if those at the top don't have one' argument. It is just another element of 'pay'."
A minority of 7% sat on the fence.
The cost of automatic-enrolment (AE) could potentially deter small businesses from doing it according to 57% of respondents.
Some predicted opt-out rates would increase or that lower earners who did opt in would end up with next to nothing in their pensions. "I have always been against auto-enrolment, many that are in it on low incomes will finish up with a very small pension," said a respondent.
Small businesses would be swamped by the compliance burden and by people trying to get their money out of small employers by trying to sell products, another said.
Yet 29% disagreed with one pundit arguing that people should stop complaining.
Another said: "It is not the expense of AE contributions that is a concern with small businesses; it is the bureaucracy of complying with the regulations when they want to focus on running their business."
One in seven was undecided.
The greatest number of respondents (46%) were indifferent to a second Pensions Commission or thought it would be a waste of time.
However some pundits also wanted to have more information on what a second Pensions Commission would seek to do.
One commentator said: "Until the government rights the wrongs that the Labour government did in 1997 in Gordon Brown's first Budget to company pensions the public's trust in any pension will as has already happened decline further."
Just under four in ten thought that industry expected too much from a second Pensions Commission. It was argued the success of the first commission was no guarantee of success for the second one.
Another said: "There is a risk that this becomes another talk shop. Whatever we may wish for, we will never take the politics out of pensions."
Just 15% said the industry did not overestimate the effectiveness of a second commission. "Pensions needs a cross party, long-term view. A commission seems to be the only way of achieving this," said a pundit.
To read the results in full, click here.
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