County Durham Labour is backing the campaign for a fair deal for the WASPI women.
It is estimated that around 35,000 women in the county and 65,000 across the region have been impacted by the 1995 Pensions Act, and 2011 Pensions Act that raised the state pension age from 60 to 65 then again to 66.
The changes – not properly communicated to 3.8million women born in the 1950s until 2012 – gave some just a year’s notice of a six-year increase to anticipated retirement ages.
Now Labour is leading County Durham’s backing of the campaign for justice for WASPI woman, with a motion agreed by Full Council, submitted by Labour’s lead for communities & social inclusion, Cllr Angela Surtees, stating:
“This Council to write to local Members of Parliament, and to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to outline the effects of the injustice to 1950s women on the communities in County Durham and to seek their support for an immediate compensation package.”
Cllr Surtees said:
“This is a historic injustice – the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) found the DWP guilty of maladministration in its handling of the State Pension age increase for women born in the 1950s, but still these women have not been compensated for a decision dramatically impacted on their lives through no fault of their own.
“More than 220,000 1950s-born women have died waiting for justice since the WASPI campaign began in 2015. Despite the Ombudsman’s findings and rapid death rate of those affected, the government is choosing to wait for further reports before taking any action.
“We are proud to welcome the WASPI ladies to Durham and demonstrate our solidarity for their campaign.”
WASPI’s (Women Against State Pension Inequality) fight for justice was bolstered when an All-Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension Inequality for Women concluded:
“the impact of DWP maladministration on 1950s-born women has been as devastating as it is widespread. The APPG believes that the case for category 6 injustice is overwhelming and clear. Women have had their emotional, physical, and mental circumstances totally obliterated by a lack of reasonable notice.”
Former nurse, Christine Smith, Newcastle, Wear and Tees WASPI group co-ordinator, said:
“This injustice has not only had a profound effect on the WASPI women themselves, but also the wider County Durham community. Women who would have looked after loved ones are unable to afford to do so, they can’t look after grandchildren increasing the childcare burden on the state, and many women struggle to meet housing costs impacting on housing stock.
“But putting that aside, women born in the 1950s have suffered a gross injustice. An injustice impacting on their emotional, physical and mental circumstances. We stand with WASPI women and demand a swift resolution before more women die waiting for compensation.”
Cllr Surtees motion was seconded by Cllr Jake Miller, who said:
“This injustice has not only had a profound effect on the WASPI women themselves, but also the wider County Durham community. Women who would have looked after loved ones are unable to afford to do so, they can’t look after grandchildren increasing the childcare burden on the state, and many women struggle to meet housing costs impacting on housing stock.
“But putting that aside, women born in the 1950s have suffered a gross injustice. An injustice impacting on their emotional, physical and mental circumstances. We stand with WASPI women and demand a swift resolution before more women die waiting for compensation.”
The WASPI campaign asks for an immediate one-off compensation payment of between £11,666 and £20,000 to those affected, with the most going to women who were given the shortest notice of the longest increase in their state pension age.