A GROUP of Hampshire campaigners has won support from the county council in its battle for pensions for women.

The Solent branch of Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) has been supported by Hampshire County Council (HCC) in its fight for state pensions for women born in the 1950s.

It made an appeal during the council’s the annual general meeting explaining more about the situation in which over 116,000 Hampshire have been adversely affected by changes to the women’s State Pension Age (SPA).

The appeal made on behalf of Solent WASPI by member Carolyne Jacobs was in support of a notice of motion proposed by Councillor for Dibden and Hythe, Malcolm Wade

It called on the Government to support the notion of compensation and was seconded by Councillor for Totton South and Marchwood, David Harrison.

HCC members unanimously agreed to call on the government to consider making transitional payments to the women affected.

WASPI supports an equal SPA for men and women, but objects to the way the changes have been implemented with little, or no, notice.

In 1995 the Government increased the state pension age for women from 60 to 65; the changes were to be implemented by 2020 and would result in the same SPA for men and women.

But the government did not write directly to any of the women affected until 2009, 14 years after the Act, and many did not find out until after 2011 when the SPA was increased again to 66-years-old for men and women.

This meant that some women were approaching 60 before they realised that they would receive their state pension far later than expected.

For some, the changes resulted in a wait of up to six years and a loss of £45,000.

According to the group, the rise in women’s SPA has been far too rapid, leaving women little time to make alternative financial or workplace arrangements.

It has caused distress and hardship for those who have no occupational pension and are totally reliant on their state pension for their retirement income.

For more information visit www.waspi.co.uk