THE DISTRICT council has teamed up with a group from Somerset in calling for fairer treatment on a group of woman who have "had the rug pulled from under them" by pension reforms.

A motion at SSDC was led by Chard councillor Amanda Broom, who is a district councillor and a member of Somerset branch of Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI).

It said: "The council calls upon the Government to make fair transitional state pension arrangements for all women born on or after April 6, 1951, who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the State Pension Age (SPA).

Cllr Broom said: "On behalf of South Somerset residents and women born in the 1950s, I ask for your support with this motion, which is calling for us, as SSDC, to write to the Government requesting that fair transitional state pension arrangements be made for this group of women."

Many WASPI women are among the worst affected by the speed up - those born between April 1953 to April 1955.

In 2012, they were aged 58 when they were sent a letter telling them that their pension age would not be 60, but would be almost 66.

Cllr Broom added: "Whilst talking to residents who have been affected by this, I found one lady with a desperate story.

"This lady sadly lost her husband three months after he retired, and was expecting to retire herself not long after this.

"She was one of the many who had not been notified about the changes and did not realise that she would not be able to retire as early as she thought.

"With a mortgage still left on their property, this lady continues to work as many hours as she can, even though she suffers poor health.

"Now, unable to retire for another four years, only working limited hours a week with no other help from the Government at all and no pension, she only survives by the help provided by her family.

"Without their weekly support and help with paying the bills, she would lose her home and the basic lifestyle that she has.

"Is this a fair way to treat someone who has worked all of their life, paid into the system, yet had the rug pulled from under them in the eleventh hour?

"With no pension, she has been forced into a life of desperation and I do not believe this is acceptable. If fair transitional payments were made by the Government, she would be able to live in the basic comfort which she deserves."