Eastwood Supports Financial restitution for women born in 1950s

SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood has supported a motion in Parliament calling on the British government to enact a temporary special measure as permitted by international law to provide full restitution to all women born in the 1950s who have lost their pensions from the age of 60 because of the impact of the rise in retirement age.

Said the Foyle MP: “The British government’s decision to increase the state pension age has unfairly impacted 77,000 women in Northern Ireland born in the 1950s, with over 5,700 women in Derry affected by pension inequality, many of whom have been campaigning for years to have this rectified.

“Last year, the Parliamentary Ombudsman ruled that there was maladministration within the Department of Work and Pensions which led to financial and emotional hardship for thousands of women in Derry.

“This was an important vindication, but the fight has continued. Those waiting and campaigning for years will not rest until they receive full justice.

“The accelerated hike in the state pension age hasn’t delivered equality – instead only hardship and suffering for thousands of women here who have been denied access to their state pension on time.

“Due to this maladministration, pension age hikes mean that many are excluded from winter fuel and cost-of-living payments.

“I am supporting calls today for the British government to enact a temporary special measure as permitted by international law to provide full restitution to all women born in the 1950s who have lost their pensions from the age of 60 because of the impact of the rise in retirement age.

“The SDLP opposed the rubber-stamping of this unjust policy and sought to protect women here.

“I will continue to seek to reverse this punitive decision, reduce the State Pension Age and protect pensioners who have fallen victim to this draconian policy.”

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