Women born in the 1950s in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire say they are ‘floored by the ‘insult of a compensation package’ proposed by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) last week.

The ombudsman urged government to 'do the right thing' for 1950s women who were not told about a change to their state pension age, by establishing a scheme suggesting compensation ranging from £1,000 to £2,950.

1950s women’s groups have long argued that their retirements were ruined by government changes to the state pension age, with the majority not receiving any notice or letter about the changes, which has cost many 50s women between £45,000 to £55,000.

“Pembrokeshire campaigners say they’ve spent more than the proposed offer on train tickets to rallies at the Senedd, Westminster and Political Party conferences over the last eight years,” said Jacki Gilderdale, organiser of the1950s Women of Wales Pembrokeshire & Carmarthen West Group.

The government has now said it will look in detail at the report from the PHSO, where the watchdog urged it to 'act swiftly'.

Campaigners say that the PHSO investigation has been flawed and full of irregularities and mistakes since its inception, as it failed to take into consideration proven discrimination and only investigated partial maladministration.

Even after stage 2 the Ombudsman had to be challenged as it was deemed legally flawed.

“Friday’s outcome was derisory and insulting,” said Jackie. “Any proposal to pay off 50s women with a sum that’s less than what they’re owed would go against the Equality Act 2010 and would flout international law.

“To date there’s been no discussion to correct the wrongdoing made and to correct the imbalance that allowed nearly 10 million men to claim free national insurance contributions from the 1980s right up until 2018, whilst 1950s born women were stopped from claiming anything. This is direct discrimination. “The state pension was and is a social contract, and the UK Government has a moral duty to resolve this fight for financial redress.”

Jackie said that the government should heed guidance from the Counsel General for Wales earlier this month which stated that all the women who've been affected should be compensated for the specific economic loss that they have suffered and for the impact this has had on their lives.

He also recommended that posthumous payments were made to the estates and families of the many women who have died ‘before seeing any form of justice or rectification for what has happened’.

“Failing the demands by the Welsh Parliament, 1950s women will call for a public inquiry to be initiated,” said Jackie. “To date, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has not acknowledged failings or put things right for those affected.

“This is not the end, but the start. Everyone has had to wait years for this final report, before we could move forward.

“There will be meetings soon with the all-party parliamentary group and we in Wales will be awaiting a response from the pensions minister, Mel Stride MP.”