Women from across the South Hams are planning a second mass demonstration in London on Wednesday, March 8, to protest the lack of information given to women about their pensions.

Members of the Devon Women Against State Pension Inequality supporters group, will be joining other groups from across the country to take part in a demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament. Many women will be accompanied by their husbands, partners and other family members protesting against the increase in the state pension age that have left their retirement plans in tatters. The sharp increase in the state pension age disproportionately affects women born in the 1950s.

Ceri Jayes from Kingsbridge said: “It is a disgrace that elderly women have to march for their state pension. Our Conservative MPs should hang their heads in shame. The state pension formed the bedrock of my retirement plans having worked from the day I left full-time education. When I asked Sarah Wollaston, Conservative MP for Totnes, how I could make up the shortfall of £40,000 as my state pension age had increased from age 60 to 66. She could not give me an answer. She just said, “There is no money.”

“Changes in the 1995 and 2011 Pension Acts have meant that some local women have had the goalposts of their pension moved twice, some with no notification and none of them have had enough time to plan. Our MPs have the benefit of ten years notification of any changes to their occupational pension scheme so that they can make their financial plans. Why wasn’t that time frame applied to changes to our state pension?”

The campaign is asking the Government for relief from the changes that have seen many women’s pension age rise twice, taking it from age 60 to 66.

Ceri continued: “I am finding that some women try to put a brave face on it but then find that their health and stamina decline steeply once they reach 60. Many are now in despair about how they will struggle on until they are 66, especially those in physically demanding work. Many cannot find work and are having to eke out their savings. The number of supporters is surging once the reality of these Pension Acts bite.

“It has been proven that the Department for Work and Pensions did not write to the first of the 1950s women affected until 14 years later and those born after 5 April 1953 seventeen years later. Some women had only 12 months’ notice before they reached their 60th birthday. A recently reported comment from the Pensions Minister indicates that they have “learnt from the WASPI women” with regard to lack of notice, but yet the Government is still refusing to help the 1950s women who are suffering from this injustice.

“SNP MP Mhairi Black has led several debates in the House of Commons. She does not accept the Conservative line that, “there is no money.” She states that if there is money to renovate the Palace of Westminster, then there is money to pay women their pension.”