WASPI campaigners (Women Against State Pension Inequality) are hoping to receive further support from a newly formed parliamentary committee as they continue their calls for compensation. The Work and Pensions Committee, formed under the new Labor government, will be chaired by Debbie Abrahams.

The previous committee came out in support of WASPI compensation when Ms Abrahams was also a member, asking for a payment plan to be presented. WASPI campaigners are urging the Government to provide compensation for the generation of women born in the 1950s who were affected when state pension the age of women increased from 60 to 65 years.

Affected women were not properly informed of the change by DWPmeaning many have had their retirement plans thrown into disarray.

WASPI campaign chair Angela Madden said the campaign team met Ms Abrahams on October 21. Ms Madden said: “She is keen to continue the conversation with the department. They will hold the minister accountable.

“They’re going to have a review session coming up soon, so it’ll be really interesting to know when that happens and come out and see the outcome.”

Another top minister championing the WASPI cause in the new government is Sir Stephen Timms, who also sat on the previous Work and Pensions Committee.

He previously said: “The debate over the impact of the DWP’s failure to communicate increases in women’s state pension age has dragged on for far too long and it is time the Government took action to address the issue.

“There is no perfect solution, but there would appear to be broad support for a rules-based compensation system with a degree of flexibility for cases where women have suffered direct financial loss.”

The Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman published a report in March recommending payments of between £1,000 and £2,950. But campaigners hope to get more, with some MPs who previously support the cause calling for payments of £10,000 or more.

Ms Madden also warned that many WASPI pensioners will struggle to get through this winter. She said: “Things are more expensive now because they’ve gone up all year, not just one or two months at the end. So with the winter fuel payment gone and the not-so-great rise in our state pensions, we’ll pretty much be standing still. .”

Eligibility for Winter fuel paymentworth £200 or £300 this year, it was recently changed so that it is only available to pensioners who also receive a means-tested benefit such as Pension Credit.