CEREDIGION MP Ben Lake has confirmed his support for justice for the 5,400 1950s-born women in his constituency by signing the Women Against State Pension Injustice Campaign ‘pledge’.

It is almost a year since the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman ruled that the Department for Work and Pensions were guilty of maladministration in failing to give proper notice to 3.8 million women throughout the UK 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.

Melinda Williams, of Ceredigion WASPI, said: “Ben 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 had 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!”

Mr Lake said he was pleased to confirm his support for the WASPI campaign for fair and fast compensation.

“Despite the clamour of outrage and years of campaigning, the UK Government have refused to support 1950s women who are trapped in difficult financial situations through no fault of their own,” he added.

“Thousands of women in Ceredigion have been affected by the rise in the state pension age, with many given little or no notice and not enough time to make alternative plans, often with devastating consequences.

“If the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman recommends that the WASPI women should be compensated, then the UK Government must act immediately to deliver a fair and fast compensation scheme.”