WASPI campaigners are continuing to call for compensation (Image: Getty)
The compensation cause will get an airing in Parliament again next week as MPs will debate the issue.
Campaigners from the WASPI (Women Against Inequality) group were devastated when the Labour Government announced last month there would be no compensation scheme for them.
The 1950s-born women were affected when their age increased from 60 to 65, a change that they claim was not properly communicated by the , leaving many unaware and ruining their retirement plans.
Hopes were renewed they may get payouts when a key report came out last year from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, recommending payouts of between £1,000 and £2,950.
But Labour pensions minister Liz Kendall told the Commons shortly before the Christmas break that it would not be a good use of taxpayers’ money to set up a compensation scheme and provide payments.
Many individual MPs have backed the WASPI cause, including top Labour ministers Sir Stephen Timms and Debbie Abrahams.
The Liberal Democrats and the have also consistently pledged their support, with the Lib Dems now holding 72 seats in the Commons.
Now MPs who still think there should be compensation will get a chance to have their say, as there is to be a debate on the issue in Westminster Hall.
The debate will take place on Wednesday, January 15, on the topic of “compensation for women affected by changes to the age”.
Angela Madden, chair of WASPI, said they are encouraging MPs to attend: “We are writing out to all the MPs who support us asking them to go along. I’m sure the independents will be there.”
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She added: “It will be good from this debate to gauge the mood of the house now. We know what the mood was on the 18th December when they announced there wasn’t going to be compensation. But people have had time to think about that, to let it sink in.”
Since the announcement from the Government that it would not compensate, MPs have set up two separate early day motions challenging the decision and calling for compensation.
One of the motions and calls for the women to get “fair treatment”, and has been signed by 41 MPs.
The other calls on ministers to “reverse this decision”, with 9 MPs signing their support.
Many members of the public have also shown their support, with more than 150,000 people signing calling for the Government to “fairly compensate” the women.