Women born in the 1950s from across the South, including the Isle of Wight, are expected to join thousands in Westminster to protest against the way increases to their State Pension age were communicated.
The WASPI women – or Women Against State Pension Inequality – are gearing up to make their voices heard in Parliament Square during the Chancellor’s Budget on Wednesday, 30th October.
Local women are expected to travel to London for the national demo which is set to take place from 12 noon to 3pm.
Call for compensation
Campaigners say successive governments failed to properly inform them of increases to their State Pension age and are calling for fair and fast compensation as a result.
The worst affected individuals received just 18 months’ notice of a six-year delay to their State Pension, plunging tens of thousands of women into poverty.
Ombudsman said ministers got things wrong
After a lengthy investigation, the Parliamentary Ombudsman concluded in March 2024 that ministers got things wrong and should pay compensation to more than 3.6 million affected women.
After months of delay under both Conservative and Labour administrations, ministers have not yet responded to the report, despite record support from hundreds of MPs across the Commons.
Local support
Local MPs Joe Robertson for Isle of Wight East and Richard Quigley for Isle of Wight West are among those backing WASPI’s calls for compensation, arguing those affected deserve fair compensation and an apology from ministers.
It is thought there are approximately 10,950 affected women living on the Island.
Those wishing to find out further information can contact: [email protected]
Simmons: Ministers must urgently step in to make sure justice is finally delivered
Local Women Against State Pension (WASPI) campaign group co-ordinator, Shelagh Simmons, said,
“Thousands of women on the Isle of Wight had their retirement plans thrown into chaos after successive governments failed to properly inform them of increases to their State Pension age.
“The Parliamentary Ombudsman delivered clear recommendations more than six months ago, calling on ministers to fairly compensate those affected as soon as possible.
“With one WASPI women tragically dying every 13 minutes, ministers must urgently step in to make sure justice is finally delivered. We simply cannot afford to wait any longer.”
Tens of thousands of WASPI women are struggling
When approached, both Island MPs agreed that through no fault of their own, tens of thousands of WASPI women are struggling in dire financial straits as a result of the successive Governments’ failure to properly inform them of increases to their State Pension age.
With the budget now just days away, they said ministers should urgently follow the clear instructions of the Parliamentary Ombudsman by fairly compensating them.
With thousands of women affected locally, they pledged to continue advocating for the justice
WASPI women deserve.
News shared by Shelagh on behalf of Solent WASPI. Ed
