Call for MSPs to sign pledge
Women born in the 1950s deserve fair compensation for the changes made to their state pensions, says an MSP.
Ayr politician Siobhian Brown has renewed calls for the UK Government to pay women born in the 50s what they are owed, after changes left them with an additional six-year wait before receiving their state pensions.
This saw around 5000 women lose out on £8,000 each for approximately six years in South Ayrshire alone.
Ms Brown, co-convenor of the WASPI cross-party group, said: “That’s £40m a year lost from the local economy and £240m over six years.
“This money belongs to the women who have paid their national insurance and taxes their whole lifetime.
“It’s high time these women were given proper compensation and quickly to correct this gross injustice.
“I am urging women affected by this to write to their local Conservative MSP and ask them to demand the Tory Government in Westminster make this right.
“This money could come from the Levelling-Up Fund.
“My goal is to see this money in the hands of the women who deserve it.”
Frances Brown, Joint Coordinator of the Ayrshire WASPI Group, is calling on women affected to sign and send the compiled template letter to their local Tory MSP, encouraging them to “do the right thing” by signing the Scottish WASPI pledge.
The letter is available by contacting siobhian.brown. msp@parliament.scot or theayrshirewaspigroup@ yahoo.com
A DWP spokesperson said: “The Government decided over 25 years ago that it was going to make the state pension age the same for men and women as a long-overdue move towards gender equality. The High Court and Court of Appeal have supported the actions of the DWP, under successive governments dating back to 1995, and the Supreme Court refused the claimants permission to appeal.”