PM in pension u-turn as bill amendments flood in

Prime Minister David Cameron has promised the government will put in place support for women worst affected by state pension reform.

The proposal to raise the state pension age (SPA) to 66 by 2020, contained in the Pensions Bill before Parliament, leaves half a million women facing delays of up to two years before they can collect their pensions.

However, Cameron said the government will announce help for these particular women soon, with the third and final reading of the Pensions Bill due on Tuesday 18 October.

In Prime Minister's questions yesterday, Cameron said: "It is right to equalise men and women's state pension ages. It is right to raise the retirement age to 66.

"We know a large group of people are affected by this transition and some people will potentially have to work for an extra two years.

"We are looking at what transitional help we can give to this group of people and will make an announcement shortly."

A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) spokesperson confirmed it will announce the plans imminently.

Yesterday was the deadline for MPs to submit amendments to be considered in the final stages of the bill.

Four amendments relating to SPAs were submitted yesterday, signed by a group of six Liberal Democrat MPs.

The first of these demands the group of women having their SPA brought forward is changed from those born between April 1953 and May 1953 to those born between December 1953 and January 1954.

Pensions minister Steve Webb has already pledged to put in place transitional arrangements to help women hit hardest by the reforms, although the government has yet to reveal what these arrangements may be.