LOCAL MP Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh has yesterday joined fellow representatives in the House of Commons to form a new parliamentary group on the state pension age increases.

The group will aim to support women hit by the acceleration of the equalisation of the state pension age.

Plans to increase the state pension age for women from 60 to 65 between 2010 and 2020 were initially set out in 1995, but the coalition government decided to speed the process up in 2011.

As a result, it is due to increase to 65 in November 2018 and then 66 by October 2020, with many arguing that the decision directly discriminates against women born on or after April 6 1951.

In the Ochil and South Perthshire constituency, nearly 5000 women are directly affected by the changes to the 2011 Pensions Act, according to the independent House of Commons Library.

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The Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign works to lobby the government to introduce transitional arrangements for those women affected, many of whom were not aware about the changes and took early retirement, leaving them without any income.

Speaking at the launch of the new campaign group, Ms Ahmed-Sheikh said: “I have met with a number of local women in this constituency who have been adversely affected by these changes, and have already raised this issue in parliament on their behalf.

“We are not seeking to apportion blame to anybody. We simply want to get the best outcome for these women, many of whom have worked hard for decades without taking a penny out of the system.

“I am therefore proud to be a founding member of this new parliamentary campaign group. I hope that the new work and pensions secretary [Stephen Crabb] will be receptive to our concerns, and that we will soon have the equitable outcome that the WASPI women deserve.”

The new group was launched at the Palace of Westminster at a standing room only meeting. It will be co-chaired by MPs from each of the parties.