Simon Fell MP signs WASPI pledge

It is almost a year since the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman ruled that the Department for Work and Pensions was guilty of maladministration in failing to give proper notice to 3.8 million women born in the 1950s whose State Pension Age was subjected to a series of changes. 

Since then the Ombudsman has been investigating whether this maladministration resulted in injustice - and if so, how the women involved should be compensated. 

To mark the upcoming anniversary, campaigners from a group known as Women Against State Pension Injustice (WASPI) have asked their MPs to pledge support for their fight.

Simon Fell, the MP for Barrow and Furness, has confirmed his support for justice for the 4,000 1950s-born women in his constituency by signing the Women Against State Pension Injustice (WASPI) Campaign pledge.

Mr Fell said: "This is about fairness - about making sure that people had sufficient notice that the arrangements for their pensions were changing. In not meeting that bar, millions of women were disadvantaged and some were hit particularly hard.

"I want to see that error righted and so I am very glad to support the Barrow & Furness District WASPI group in Parliament."

Catherine Williams, co-ordinator of Barrow WASPI, said: “Simon Fell has been a consistent WASPI supporter. We are delighted that he has signed the pledge to highlight our campaign for fair and fast compensation.

“The lack of notice had disastrous results. Women found that their plans for retirement at 60 were suddenly overturned without warning. Some had to sell or re-mortgage their homes, others had to continue working despite ill health, and others had to abandon commitments they made to their families to provide care for grandchildren or elderly relatives. 

"All were deprived without proper notice of the pension which they had expected to receive at 60.

“We are asking for justice in the form of fair and fast compensation before more 1950s women die - and we are not going away.”