Local organiser for the 1950s WASPI Women of Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen West, has welcomed the news that the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman that is investigating the UK Government’s communication of changes to women’s State Pension age is being accelerated.

Following research carried out for the WASPI campaign by ‘Statista’, which shows that nearly a quarter of a million women will have died waiting for pension compensation by the end of this year; Richard Thomson MP with the Scottish National Party, urged Pensions Minister Guy Opperman to start the process of implementing compensatory payments, or interim payments, to those affected.

The Pensions Minister declined to do so.

Now, however, the Ombudsman has announced that the approach to the investigation is to be updated to consider what action the Department For Work And Pensions should be taking to remedy the injustice.

“This is absolutely fantastic news,” said Jackie Gilderdale, local Organiser for the 1950s WASPI Women.

“This is a welcome intervention by the Ombudsman and comes just days after Conservative leadership candidate Liz Truss told an audience that it was unlikely her government would pay out any compensation.

“The Ombudsman process is very thorough, but it is not quick, particularly when events of over 20 years ago require looking into.

“Stage One has already found in favour of the WASPI women in that there was maladministration on the part of the UK Government and now the Ombudsman has announced that it will include consideration of what the remedy for those affected should be at Stage Two of the process.

“This will mean a quicker outcome and, hopefully, quicker compensation for those affected, before more women die.”

In a letter to Mr Thomson MP, the Ombudsman stated: “In order to conclude the investigation as efficiently as possible we are adjusting our approach to the remainder of this investigation.

“We are going to begin considering what action we think DWP should take to remedy the injustice now.

“We will share our provisional views about remedy with the complainants, their MPs, DWP and the ICE once we have considered any further evidence we receive about our provisional views for stage two.

“We will then go on to publish our findings about the issues we are considering at stage two and remedy at the same time.

“This adjustment to our approach will minimise complainants’ wait for our findings about remedy.”

Jackie continued: “We want our local 1950s women to keep writing to their respective MPs, Stephen Crabb and Simon Hart asking for their support - alot has happened since they were initially contacted.

“The light is now at the end of the tunnel, of what has been seven yrs of battling and keeping this campaign for justice alive.

“We have sadly lost women locally, whom will never see their compensation, so I do feel relieved that there is now hope for all 1950s women who have suffered injustice, especially as the cost of living crisis is taking its toll as well,” she added.