A Neston businesswoman and the MP are fighting for the pension rights of women born in the 50s.

Jackie Hill, who lives in the town, is calling for local people to support national campaign group WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality.)

The organisation was formed to highlight the hardship inflicted on thousands of women born in the 1950s whose pension age was changed with little or no notice.

Jackie, who has started a local WASPI supporters group with her sister Margaret Bailey, also born in the 50s, says: “We are not against equalisation. We are not asking for the state pension age to be put back to 60.

“We protest about the lack of notification and the resulting speed of implementation.”

The campaign argues that ‘very few’ women were informed of the increase in their state pension age after changes were introduced in a 1995 Act of Parliament. There were further changes in 2011.

WASPI is pressing for fair transitional arrangements for the women affected – who were born on or after April 6 1951 – through a bridging pension to provide an income from age 60 to their new state pension age.

The Government has said that in future 10 years notice will be given in relation to changes in the pension age but has so far refused to remedy the effect on the thousands of women already affected.

Jackie continues: “Councils all over the country are supporting the WASPI campaign. They have agreed that it was totally unfair to the women born in the 50s.

“Many have suffered severe hardship due to having no notice about the changes.”

Justin Madders, MP for Ellesmere Port and Neston, is taking an active interest in the issue. Last year he organised a meeting with Wirral South MP Alison McGovern and is a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group for WASPI.

In Ellesmere Port and Neston, the independent House of Commons Library believes around 4,070 women are directly affected by changes which took place in 2011 alone.

Speaking at the standing room only launch of the new parliamentary group, Mr Madders said: “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.”

He was also among MPs who presented a series of individual petitions to Parliament in the autumn.

Anyone interested in joining the new local group, or to find out more information, can email their name, address and telephone number to jackieh1954@talktalk.net.

They can also get in touch by posting a letter to Jackie at Neston Natural Health and Beauty Clinic, 13 Parkgate Road, Neston, CH64 6XF or by telephoning 0151 353 0093 and leaving their details.

To be kept informed by the MP they can register their interest by emailing him on justin.madders.mp@parliament.uk.

There is to be a protest outside the House of Commons on March 8 at 1pm and Jackie would like to hear from others who would join her.

Speaking after taking part in a protest in June last year by women from across the country, Mr Madders said he had been proud to join their demonstration at Westminster and said: “I hope we will soon have the equitable outcome that the WASPI women deserve.”

Approaching 400 local residents had already signed an e-petition.