1950s women’s pension campaigners in Ceredigion say they were delighted to watch their MP Ben Lake live on Parliament tv as he spoke out at Westminster to support their campaign for compensation.

Over 5,000 women in Ceredigion born in the 1950s were given little or no notice that their State Pension age had been changed so they had to wait six years longer for their pensions. In 2021 the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman ruled that this was maladministration and compensation should be awarded. The women are still waiting for the Ombudsman to produce his final report which is due this year.

WASPI member Melinda Williams said: “It was great to be able to watch Ben in action as he spoke out so forcefully for the 1950s women in his constituency.”

At the cross-party meeting at Westminster Hall at the Houses of Parliament on 12 March, Mr Lake said: “I begin by commending the Ceredigion WASPI campaign group which has done so much to support 1950s women and to raise awareness of their plight.

“This is a generation of women who have suffered inequality throughout their lives. They entered an unequal workforce, were excluded from pension schemes and had no maternity leave. The injustice that they are suffering now has sadly come after a lifetime of many injustices.

“Nevertheless, these women have contributed so much to bringing about positive change for the benefit of us all. Not only are they the mams, the mamgus, the sisters and the aunties, they are also the ones who work tirelessly in various campaign groups, community organisations and charitable causes. After a lifetime of working diligently, they find themselves having to suffer financially and emotionally due to changes introduced by the state that were not communicated to them as they should have been.

“These women deserve compensation that reflects the fact that not only have they suffered financially but their lives have been put on hold. Sadly, many of them have passed away before seeing justice.”

WASPI member Pamela Judge, added: “The length of time the government is making us wait for compensation is cruel. So many 1950s women had their lives turned upside down when the pension they had expected to get at 60 wasn’t there.

“We’re very grateful to Ben and the other MPs at the debate for keeping the issue alive and continuing to press the government for action. We need fair and fast compensation now.”