TWO retired nurses are fighting against the changes that have hit women wanting to claim their state pensions.

Barrow members of Women Against State Pension Inequality are set to travel to London to protest outside the Houses of Parliament today.

They are opposed to the changes to state pension age that have disproportionately affected women, costing some thousands of pounds.

Changes made in 1995 to increase the pension age of women to 65 were welcomed as progressive, and the changes would take place over 20 years.

However, in 2011, the process was speeded up by the coalition government, meaning women who expected to receive their pension were forced to wait several more years.

Cath Williams, 62, of Mallard Drive, Walney, said: "When I was 56, I still thought that I would get my pension at 64.”

Mrs Williams was a nurse from the age of 16, working at North Lonsdale Hospital and then Furness General Hospital until she retired at 56.

She said: "I took early retirement thinking I would get my pension. I would not have done this had I known the changes.

"I have contributed more than the people who retired at 60. I’ve missed out on seven years of pension.”

It is felt that a lot of women have been left in the dark since 1995 because of the lack of information given to them about their pension changes.

Successive governments from 1995 failed to write to affected women for 14 years about the changes.

Because of the legislation introduced in 2011, it meant that women born after 1953 would have to wait an extra two years to draw their pensions.

Like Mrs Williams, many did not plan for this, or did not have a large enough employer pension to cover this extra time.

Waspi have said that under new legislation a woman born in 1954 will have to wait an extra three and a half years to draw her pension, compared to a woman born in 1953.

Pat Molyneux, 62, of Hill Road, Barrow, found herself in this position.

After taking medical retirement in 2008 due to arthritis, Mrs Molyneux found that she only would receive a pension of £2,000 a year as she had only worked in her last job since 1999.

However, after finding Waspi last year via Facebook, she feels she has a better chance at fighting for change for women like her.

She said: “I was frustrated by the changes, but I never found anyone who was willing to fight with me.

“It’s not easy taking on the government on your own.”

Women from across the country are meeting in London today to protest outside the Houses of Parliament, and to lobby their MPs to bring their issue back into parliament.

Barrow MP John Woodcock has held meetings previously with the Barrow delegates from Waspi, however Mrs Williams and Mrs Molyneux both feel that he could have done more.

A spokesman for Mr Woodcock said: "Mr Woodcock has voted in favour of the Waspi campaign, he has held public meetings in Barrow with local residents affected and he has written about the campaign in the Evening Mail and on social media.

“He is unsure why anyone would suggest he is not supportive of the Waspi campaign.”

The women from Barrow alongside their fellow campaigners are hopeful that their presence will push ministers to reconsider the pension legislation.

The group want to protect women who may be in vulnerable situations who are missing out of pension money because of the changes.

Mrs Williams said: “People like me can’t get a bus pass, or a rail card because they can‘t get their state pension yet.

“If a woman is widowed, alone or divorced, it will be very hard on her to get by.

“At least younger women have time to plan for the changes.”

In May, work and pensions secretary Stephen Crabb said that reverses to policy would be unlikely.