Back To 60 Demand the return of their earned dues.

7 Billion Pound Robbery, 1950's women had their state pensions deferred twice.

Women who were “robbed” of thousands of pounds

after their state pension age was delayed by six years are launching a fresh legal bid to get back their “earned dues”.

Grassroots campaign group BackTo60 is set to appeal last week’s High Court decision to dismiss their claim

That laws intended to equalise the state pension age between men and women are unlawfully discriminatory.

Claims that there was a lack of communication and prior notice about the changes were also dismissed.

An estimated 3.8 million women are affected by these laws,

And some are expected to lose more than £40,000 from their pensions,

The court heard during a two-day hearing in June.

The group is not seeking to reverse the raising of women’s state pension age from 60 to 66,

which happened incrementally through the laws introduced between 1995 and 2014.

Rather, it demands full compensation for the money

that women born in the 1950s lost out on when the change was introduced.

“For many women, all they have is their state pension,” Joanne added.

“Women are already living below the poverty line.

We can not accept anything less than full restitution.”

Alongside the legal challenge,

BackTo60 is urging the government to enact a “temporary special measure”

to compensate the women affected by the pension age hike.

They are also asking MPs to sign an Early Day Motion to have this course of action is debated in parliament.

The motion has gained 225 signatures so far,

including those of former Conservative and now independent MP Nicholas Soames, and former Labour Party leader Ed Miliband.

Exclusive: Amber Rudd faces new challenge over maladministration of the raising of pension age from 50s Women

Two supporters of the BackTo60 campaign have got professional legal support

to challenge the government for maladministration over the failure to notify them over the raising of the pension age.

The fresh challenge is in addition to the hearing next Friday at the High court to decide

whether BackTo60 can challenge the government through a judicial review.

Pensions Litigation lawyer Mr Ivan Walker (Principal of Walkers Solicitors based in Kent)

has agreed to advise Fran Martin and Ros Pain-Tolin  who, are two of the lead cases of 1950s Women.

They have got to the final stage of presenting their case to the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

Mr Walker recently represented the members of the Lloyds Bank pension schemes

in a landmark High Court claim regarding sex discrimination in the system for contracting out of the State Earnings-related Pension Scheme.

The move is significant because professional legal advice is essential in bringing such a  case.

The women are launching a crowd funding appeal  to help finance the move.

7 Billion Pound Robbery

The link is here. Go onto the crowdfunder site here:

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/search/projects?filter%5Bc%5D=&filter%5Bt%5D=pending&filter%5Bs%5D=

Search live projects and put in 50swomen and then you will get to the site. For some reason this direct link does not work

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/maladministration–legal-advice-for-1950swomen

Both women have faced enormous and heart rending struggles to cope

since the government pushed back the right to claim a pension from 60 to 65 and it is going up to 66 by 2020.

Their struggle is typical of many others who have commented on this blog and have been left with virtually nothing to live on.

Fran Martin told me :

“I received a letter in 2013 from DWP – which indicated that I had a 6 yr hike added to my SP age – This was received 2 years before my 60th birthday in 2015.

Also was totally shocked and still am.

“I have gone from an optimistic cheerful forward thinking person to a virtual recluse with all the incumbent stresses and strains that this places on other family members.

Health has deteriorated too, with high blood pressure, diabetes and anxiety being I feel part and parcel of the result of being misled at what is a vulnerable time in anyone’s life..”

Sleepless nights have become the new norm and even whilst now prescribed sleeping tablets I can still be wide awake at 4 or 5am with worry for a very bleak future if even that exists,

I’m not convinced it does.”

7 Billion Pound Robbery

She became redundant in 2015 and then saw her plans for a happy retirement ruined.

” I had purchased a retirement cottage in 2008 in Aberdeenshire completely unaware of any state pension Legislation.

and which DWP treated as capital – Forced in Dec 2015 to put the cottage up for sale –

but with no work and no one coming into Aberdeen to rent,

to date the cottage is still on the market. and have costs for the upkeep of same and the flat that I live in Aberdeen.

” I am ineligible for any benefits as the DWP class the cottage as capital.

I was also forced to draw down a small private pension in 2015 at the worst possible times for annuities,

and use this and small savings to eek out a bleak existence

Dependant to on a mother in her mid 80’s

which quite frankly I never thought I would have to be and obviously places stress and worry on her too.”

Ros told me: “I always expected my State Pension to be at 60 in 2015.

I never received a letter. ICE  ( who handle pension complaints)say that one was ‘probably’ sent in Feb 2012,

but they did not keep any ‘case specific’ records so cannot confirm.”

“I only have a small works pension that I had taken early.

also a degenerative back condition which causes me pain most days and I  suffer from Asthma.

” I really don’t know how I would manage at all, if I didn’t have my husband and his Pension to rely on as well.

He is now 70 with his own health issues. My Mother almost 95 has also given financial support over the last few years.”

Both women are determined to fight the system

so Amber Rudd in her new role  as work and pensions secretary better look out as a storm is gathering

not only from them but from millions of other people

who feel they have been robbed of their state pension when they should have had it.

7 Billion Pound Robbery