Women affected by birth date lottery appeal to pensions minister to correct unfair anomaly

Around 700,000 women born between 1951 and 1953 will, from next April, be handed a smaller state pension than men of the same age

Pensioners caught by the financial crisis at the insurer protest outside Parliament in 2009 (EPA)

There are around 700,000 women born between 1951 and 1953 who, from next April, will be handed a smaller state pension than men of the same age. Because of a birth date lottery, they will miss out on eligibility for the new single-tier pension. It's an unfair anomaly that should be put right, but campaigners feel let down by the new pensions minister.

Campaigner Cathe Rikby contacted me this week to send a message to Ros Altmann: "Why are you unwilling to help, Ros, when you supported our claims before? Why are you willing for there to be inequality?"

It's a good question. The minister seems to believe that she can't overturn a long-ago made decision but if she can't ensure justice for all, who can?

s.read@independent.co.uk

twitter: @simonnread