Councillors have backed a campaign for a fairer deal for thousands of women unknowingly hit by the state pension age rise.

Around 35,000 women in County Durham have been impacted by the 1995 and 2011 Pensions Act changes that raised the state pension age from 60 to 66.

The changes - not properly communicated to 3.8million women born in the 1950s until 2012 - gave some just a year’s notice of a six-year increase to anticipated retirement ages. But thousands of campaigners throughout the country continue to lobby the government for justice and change.

Durham County Council officially backed the campaign at a meeting on Wednesday, which saw all councillors unanimously agree that the authority writes to MPs to outline the effects of the injustice to 1950s women on the communities in County Durham and demand an immediate compensation package.

Easington’s cllr Angela Surtees said: “This is a historic injustice - the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) found the DWP guilty of maladministration in its handling of the State Pension age increase for women born in the 1950s, but still these women have not been compensated for a decision dramatically impacted on their lives through no fault of their own.

“More than 220,000 1950s-born women have died waiting for justice since the WASPI campaign began in 2015. Despite the Ombudsman’s findings and rapid death rate of those affected, the government is choosing to wait for further reports before taking any action.

“We are proud to welcome the WASPI ladies to Durham and demonstrate our solidarity for their campaign.”

The WASPI campaign asks for an immediate one-off compensation payment of between £11,666 and £20,000 to those affected, with the most going to women who were given the shortest notice of the longest increase in their state pension age.

Campaigners have labelled the controversial moves an injustice and say women have had their emotional, physical, and mental circumstances totally obliterated by a lack of reasonable notice.

The Northern Echo: Around 35,000 women in County Durham have been impacted by the 1995 and 2011 Pensions Act changes that raised the state pension age from 60 to 66.Around 35,000 women in County Durham have been impacted by the 1995 and 2011 Pensions Act changes that raised the state pension age from 60 to 66. (Image: The Northern Echo)

Former nurse, Christine Smith, Newcastle, Wear and Tees WASPI group co-ordinator, said: “Our aim is to get every North East Council to support the WASPI women campaign to secure compensation and I’d like to thank Labour for supporting and welcoming us at this full council meeting.

“Women have lost so much - family homes, one woman in our group faces losing her flat, which she’d already downsized to because of this legislation. We are getting support from politicians in our region – Newcastle, North Tyneside and South Tyneside have all pledged their support, County Durham is next and then hopefully onto Sunderland after that. We will not stop until we secure everything that the WASPI women had taken away from them.”

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The motion was seconded by cllr Jake Miller, who added: “This injustice has not only had a profound effect on the WASPI women themselves, but also the wider County Durham community.

“We stand with WASPI women and demand a swift resolution before more women die waiting for compensation.”