Women adversely affected by changes to the state pension age say they “can’t wait any longer” after a prolonged battle for compensation.
Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) campaigners from across Scotland plan to demonstrate outside Westminster ahead of the Autumn Budget on October 30.
It comes after a report concluded that those affected by the changes – and who were not communicated with adequately – should receive an apology and payouts of between £1,000 and £2,950, which is lower than the £10,000 expected.
Dozens of Waspi women gathered at the statue of political activist Mary Barbour in Govan to demand urgent action from the UK Government over its “derisory” offer.
Waspi coordinator Anne Potter said the nine-year battle for “justice” had taken a huge emotional toll on the women.
She told STV News: “These women feel very strongly about the wait they’ve had to endure – at this stage in our lives, we are still having to demonstrate.
“Women are living frugally – and this is just the start of the winter. I think a lot of them will be suffering.
“We can’t wait any longer. We’ve waited a long time so far.
“It’s time they came up with a solution. We want that to happen as soon as possible. Compensate now.”
STV NewsMore than 330,000 women born in the 1950s and living in Scotland have been affected by a UK Government decision in 1995 to increase the state pension age from 60 to 65, and again to 66 in 2012.
Waspi accused the government of a failure to communicate or give notice of the changes, causing thousands to suffer financial hardship as there was not enough time to re-plan for retirement.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) ruled in March that there had been maladministration in the way the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) communicated reforms.
The watchdog recommended compensation, suggesting payments of between £1,000 and £2,950 at level four.
That is a lower range than the £10,000 figure – level six – previously suggested by the State Pension Inequality For Women All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).
The report said it would cost as much as £10bn to compensate all women born in the 1950s.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is not expected to set aside funds for compensation in next week’s Budget, amid an estimated £22bn “black hole” in public finances.
STV NewsFormer headteacher Sandra Gibson, 70, took early retirement due to ill health in 2012. Her husband became ill shortly afterwards and died six months later.
She said: “We fought a very hard battle to get that [Ombudsman’s] decision. The recommendations are all there in black and white and – nothing.
“The statistics are terrifying; the number of Waspi women that will have died in these intervening seven months.
“I think it is absolutely shocking that no one will take account of our plight.”
She added: “We’re determined to see this through to the bitter end.”
Retired NHS worker Rosie Dickson is attending the funeral of a former colleague on Thursday.
STV News“She’s 67 – the same age as me. She got about eight months of her pension before she passed away,” she said.
She fears the compensation scheme will be means-tested similar to the winter fuel payment.
“It’s going to be a choice between heating and eating for many of these women,” Rosie said.
“These are women that have worked all our lives, paid their dues. They just want their pensions. They want what’s due.
“It’s been a long struggle. We’re all granddaughters of the original Mary Barbour’s army – we’re taking that spirit with us – and we are not going to go away.”
STV NewsJanice Saunders, 67, from Shettleston, lost her husband four years ago.
She said: “He died before he got his pension. He had to wait until 66 to get his pension, which was one year of a difference; I had to wait until 66 to get my pension, which was six years of a difference. How is that fair?
“We want recognition that there was a maladministration, that they got it wrong.”
Janice also worries she will struggle to afford her bills as winter approaches.
She said: “You think twice about putting the heating on. I put the heating on for a few hours once when it was stormy and cold.
“We shouldn’t have that worry at this time in our lives because we’ve paid in for everything.”
STV NewsRetired nurse and social worker Elaine Loch has lost the maximum amount of state pension as she was born in 1955.
The 69-year-old said: “I’ve paid my national insurance all my life. Women have been paid less than men all my working life.
“Here we are, still fighting for women’s rights.
“Keir Hardy will be burling in his grave if he knows what Keir Starmer’s doing from a Labour government point-of-view.
“The Labour MPs say they need time to read the reports. Am I wrong? Have they not got exactly the same civil servants who know this issue inside and out? They should be able to make a decision.
“We’re middle-aged women, you can just think ‘roll them over, they’re not going to bother.’ But I want our grandchildren to know we stood up for what’s right.”
A DWP spokesperson said: “This was a serious report, requiring serious consideration.
“We will continue to listen respectfully to the women involved, and ensure we take on board any lessons learnt.”
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