Lewisham Labour supports the WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) campaign. A motion calling on the Government to rethink their current state pension arrangements was agreed by Lewisham Council in July. The text is here.
Women born on or after 6th April 1951 have been unfairly affected by the changes to State Pension Age. Many have been pushed into financial hardship. Some women were not informed of the changes until two years before retirement.
Around 20,000 women in Lewisham are affected by the Government’s changes. Including those women will be £12,000 worse off due to the changes. Others will have to retire 6 years later than they had originally thought. WASPI is not against equalisation of the state pension, but is calling for fair transitional arrangements.
Councillor Alan Hall said: “Changes to pension arrangements should be done with the long term in mind and proper notice is required. This is unfair to women and I think transitional arrangements should be put in place now.”
WASPI south London has thanked Lewisham Council agreeing the WASPI Motion calling for transitional arrangements to be put in place for these 1950s women.