WOMEN devastated by changes to state pensions are hoping the new Government will take “sensitive and swift” action to help get them compensation.

The Women Against State Pension Inequality, better known as Waspi women, are due to meet with Labour pensions minister, Emma Reynolds, next month.

The group has expressed optimism ahead of their meeting but warned her “time is of the essence”.

In a report published in March, before the July General Election was called, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) asked Parliament to identify how to provide an appropriate remedy for those who have suffered injustice because of maladministration on the part of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

The ombudsman’s report suggested that compensation at level four, ranging between £1,000 and £2,950, could be appropriate for each of those affected.

Compensating all women born in the 1950s at the level four range would involve spending between about £3.5 billion and £10.5 billion of public funds, the report said.

South Essex Waspi co-coordinator, Frances Neil, believes words “must be turned into action”.

She has pointed to the number of aggrieved women in south Essex, many who she believes will be affected by winter fuel payment reductions.

She said: “What we want is action to put forward a plan for compensation and that is coupled with hearing that prices are going up and many will lose their winter fuel payment, that compensation needs to be sensitive swift and enough.

“We need the incoming Government to understand that women are dying and have died since the election, one every 13 minutes since the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report and there are still women dying, we are all ageing.

“They need to listen to the fact we are aggrieved and that we have proven we have grounds for that grievance, we are pleased they are dealing with the postmasters and the blood scandal but 3.6 million are still hoping they will live long enough for their compensation.”

In total 100,000 women in Essex were affected by changes to the 1995 State Pension Act included plans to increase women’s state pension age from 60 to 65.

However, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) failed to inform them until 15 years later, forcing 3.8 million women into financial hardship.

Frances, was a headteacher in Southend and benefitted from a teacher’s pension, had to wait five years for her state pension, taking her teachers pension at 62 and working for another seven years.

She believes her losses during that time to total £50,000.

She said: “Whatever the amount, lets get the agreement, let’s get the process working and let’s get some hope to our ministers so that our members, and those who aren’t but are affected have some hope.

“We have suffered, they need to make sure they are listening to us.”