MP Caroline Ansell joined women from Eastbourne and across the country today to demonstrate outside Westminster in support of those hit by changes to state pension ages.

Around 4700 Eastbourne women, mostly born in the 1950s, have been affected by new rules saying they cannot claim a state pension until 66 when they had been told it would be 60.

The change has come as the Government is committed to equalising the retirement age for men and women, but women born between 6th April 1951 and until 6th April 1960 will be affected by the six-year jump and miss out.

“This is a really unfair state of affairs that has left tens of thousands of women across the UK out of pocket or even receiving no income after they have retired,” said Caroline.

“So I was really moved to see such a big demonstration outside Parliament to show the strength of feeling and I will continue to support the campaign by Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) to lobby the Government into introducing transitional arrangements for those women affected.

“I do support the idea of equalising state pension ages between men and women, but help must be given to those caught up in those changes, especially when it appears some were not notified.

“I know that many women in Eastbourne are impacted, and I would urge them to get in contact with my office.”

Caroline met with Eastbourne WASPI campaigner, Angela Boas, during the demonstration and she said: “This matters to me. I was looking forward to having time with my grandchildren, now I'm having to work full time.

“I feel cheated. I've paid in all my life. We're all for catching up with the men but it's been too quick a jump and hit one generation of women.”

A petition calling for transitional arrangements has been signed received almost 200,000 people nationwide.