A PLEDGE has been made to the thousands of Furness women left out in the financial cold due to changes made to state pensions.

The Labour Party is prepared to offer all women born in the 1950s the opportunity to retire and receive their state pension at the age of 64, says shadow work and pensions secretary, Debbie Abrahams.

Thousands of local women affected by the changes could claim their pension two years earlier than current rules allow. The Barrow and District Branch of Waspi (Women Against State Pension Inequality) has fought for more than a year to highlight the plight many of their members face.

Cath Williams, a member of Barrow Waspi, said: "It's good from our point of view. I'm 64 next year. It would be good to get it next year rather than wait.


"However, the national group aren't liking it. They aren't happy about it."

Labour's plan is to provide a reduced pension to women aged 64. However, by how much their pension would be reduced is yet to be confirmed.

The issues surrounding women's pensions stem from the Pensions Act 2011. This act set the timetable to increase women's pensionable age to 66 by the year 2020. Because of this rapid shift to bring pension equality Waspi is advocating a 'bridging pension' to support women whose pension plans were thrown into chaos.

Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock said: “Labour’s new proposals are an important step on the road to ending the historic injustice face by women born in the 1950s.

"Certainly these measures go much further than anything on offer from the Tories in government, despite the fact they seem to have a bottomless pot of money to bung to Northern Ireland so they cling to office.

“There are hundreds of women in the Furness area who have suffered the consequences of this government’s chaotic mismanagement of the state pension age.

“I will continue to work with local women so they can obtain the justice they deserve."