Time is running out for WASPI victims says Norfolk campaigner
The Government says it'll review it's policy to not compensate women affected by state pension age changes
A local woman campaigning against state pension changes for a decade says time's running out victims.
It's as ministers say they'll consider pay-outs to women born in the 1950s, whose state pension age was raised so it would be equal with men.
The Work and Pensions Secretary, Pat McFadden says "evidence" which was not shown to his predecessor Liz Kendall when she made the decision last December had since come to light and needed to be considered.
The decision to refuse compensation was made despite a recommendation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) the women should be paid up to £2,950 each.
This would have resulted in package with a potential total cost of £10.5 billion to the public purse, as poor communication meant they had lost out on the chance to plan their retirement finances.
"I've suffered personal financial loss and I've had to be dependent on my husband"
Debbie de Spon lives in Ashwellthorpe and is the local coordinator for WASPI in Norfolk:
"Waspi women have lost their homes, they've had to move in with their children or take handouts from them.
"I regularly get phone-calls from women who are in difficult circumstances. We're not asking for those lost years of state pension to come back, we know that won't happen.
"Many women has already given up work when they suddenly found out that they had these extra working years added on. Getting back into employment at that time was extremely difficult.
"I've suffered personal financial loss and I've had to be dependent on my husband".
"We think the Government has got a lot to catch up on and should do the right thing here and pay compensation.
"An acceptable outcome would be what the ombudsman recommended that the Government do.
The Department for Work and Pensions says this review is taking place in the interests of fairness and doesn't necessarily mean financial redress will be awarded.