HELPERS at an advice session organised by Ceredigion Women Against State Pension Injustice (WASPI) in Cardigan were kept busy as women born in the 1950s flocked to get advice.

Pamela Judge, Joint Co-ordinator of Ceredigion WASPI, said: “Our six volunteers helped 20 women in the space of two hours to write formal complaints about the lack of notice that they would lose up to six years of their pensions.

“Many local women are suffering real hardship at this blow to the financial plans they had made for their retirement. Women over 60 are having to stay in paid work when they really aren’t fit enough. Their hopes of spending time with their partners or looking after grandchildren have been shattered. All our working lives we paid our National Insurance Contributions but when we needed our pensions they weren’t there.”

In 1995, the government introduced a gradual increase of the State Pension Age for women from 60 to 65 but did not write to tell them. Another change in 2011 accelerated the rise to 65 and increased it to 66 for both men and women by 2020.

Some women were written to in 2009, 14 years after the first change, but letters were then stopped until 2012. Many women received no notice at all and those who did get letters had very little time to prepare for such a major change.

WASPI advice sessions are also planned for 26th June in Aberystwyth Library and 10th July at Whilen y Porthmyn in Tregaron, both from 2.30pm–4.30pm.

For more information or help to make a complaint email waspiceredigion@gmail.com or ring Carys Lloyd in the office of Ben Lake MP tel. 01570 940 333.