Suffolk WASPI women speak out as compensation wait goes on

The EADT has been following the battle of WASPI, Women Against State Pension Inequality, for a number of years now.

Likened to modern-day Suffragettes, these are women who were born in the 1950s, who the government failed to notify of changes to their state pensions.

The age at which women could withdraw their state pension was raised from 60 to 65 and then 66, bringing it in line with men’s state pensions – but women were not told of this change until April 2009, more than two years later.

WASPI woman march in London, determined to fight for justice. (Image: Newsquest)WASPI women have said they are determined not to give up without a fight. Image: Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)The Suffolk WASPIs have said that they will not be ignored. Image: Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)

This meant that they were not able to effectively plan for the future, and this failing is the subject of an ongoing ombudsman.

This International Women’s Day, as WASPI waits to hear if they will be compensated for this failure, ten women from all over Suffolk have shared how they were effected and what being a WASPI woman means to them.

Suffolk WASPIs speak out

"My granddaughter asked if I was a Suffragette when she saw a photo of me wearing a WASPI sash.  I explained to her what our campaign is all about and how, shockingly, women are still having to fight for their rights more than a century later.  Whilst successive governments have chosen to disregard our voices, we will NOT be silenced, and we will NOT give up our fight for fair and fast compensation!" - Judi Moss 

"WASPI means women fighting for women’s justice, for us and for women of the future. This affects all the family not just us; we won’t give up!" - Hilary Drain

"Successive governments and the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) just didn’t and don’t care or want to put right the maladministration found by the ombudsman.  It’s undervaluing women once again. Being a WASPI woman meant all my life having to deal with inequality in the workplace, recognising the gender pay gap, often juggling part-time hours to accommodate family caring, and the inability to save fully for my retirement and always fighting for this to change.

"It’s a scandal just like the Post Office scandal!" - Karen Sheldon

• READ MORE: Where are we up to in the wait for WAPSI compensation?

Two Suffolk WASPI campaigners, Karen Sheldon and Beverley Gardiner. Image: Judi Moss (Image: Judi Moss)

"The State pension age increased TWICE for some WASPI women with insufficient notice, throwing retirement plans into chaos.  A breath-taking disregard for this cohort of women born in the 1950s." - Marilyn Lynch

"Being a WASPI woman is like being part of a big family offering support, information and up to date news on the progress of our fight for justice. Everyone has the same goal and there is strength in numbers.  No one is giving up!" - Jackie Kinnear

"I made the decision to retire early based on getting my state pension at 60 - I later found out that I would have another six years to wait for it.  Mine was the sole income due to my husband's ill health. The DWP did not inform me that the state pension age had been changed. 

"Being part of WASPI made me realise that I was far from being alone in this difficult situation" - Sue Boyd 

Suffolk WASPI campaigners. L-R: Hilary Drain, Myra Lines, Sue Boyd, Judi Moss & Karen Sheldon. Image: Judi Moss (Image: Judi Moss)WASPI campaigners taking their cause to London. Image: Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)

"Unable to continue working owing to a third bout of cancer and damage caused by chemotherapy, I retired at 60.  I was severely disappointed when I realised that I wouldn’t get my state pension for another six years!  I simply wasn’t prepared for such a long wait.  I joined WASPI to help raise awareness of the unfair treatment of a whole generation of women" - Beverley Gardiner

"I had a revised work plan after I realised that six years had been added to my expected working life. I suffered a brain bleed and at my most vulnerable time in life, as I'm now disabled, I feel very let down.  I'm 65 and it's another year to claim my state pension. Thanks George Osborne [then Chancellor], where was the due diligence in the money saving debacle you put us through?" - Denise Askew

"Having had to wait until I was 66 for retirement, I had been looking forward to enjoying life away from work constraints and embrace being a grandmother. However my health has taken this away from me, I’m very angry that the government hasn’t taken the WASPI ladies seriously - Stephanie Atkinson

The saddest thing is that all those who have passed away will never benefit when we win this fight. The longer it goes on the less money they will have to pay out, and after all it’s our money they’ve stolen from us" - Janis Davis