Senedd campaign for ‘Waspi’ women

Christine Kemp-Philp, 64, from Newport, had expected to retire at 60 but found out, just 12 months before her 60th birthday, that she would have to wait longer to reach state pension age.

“I found out when I was 59,” she said. “I contacted the Department for Work and Pensions for a pensions forecast and they said they couldn’t give me a forecast because the office was in a state of flux. They said if I left my details they would get back to me. I’m 64 now and I am still waiting for them to get back to me.”

She added: “I had to give up my career in 1991 to become a full-time carer to my disabled husband.

“I didn’t claim carer’s allowance because I didn’t know it was available. I am told I may get some kind of pension in 2019. There’s nobody out there supporting people and telling them what they should be doing.”

Alyson Williams attended yesterday’s demonstration dressed in Suffragette purple and green, with her friend Beverley Pozo.

Alyson, 62, said: “I work full-time and I have since I was 15 years of age. I was under the impression I would be retiring at 60 so I could have an enjoyable lifestyle with my husband. I was about 59 when I realised I wouldn’t be retiring until I was 66.”

Beverley, 59, said: “My husband is failing in health and I was looking forward to enjoying some good quality time – now I have to work on until I’m 66. We are here fighting with all the other women to get our pensions. It’s important that future generations take notice of this issue – it will affect them.”

Labour MP Carolyn Harris, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension Inequality for Women, addressed the crowd at the demonstration.

She said: “If we don’t stand together and we don’t speak with one voice, and we don’t have one vision, which is to settle this injustice, then we may as well all pack our bags and go home now. The only people who are being hurt in all this are you, and three-anda-half million women out there.

“So keep on the fight.”