No solution for women affected by double pension delay, admits Altmann

Pensions minister Baroness Altmann has been unable to find a way to help the women who have been affected by two delays to their pension start dates, she said over the weekend.

Speaking on the BBC's Money Box programme, Altmann said around half a million women who are in their late 50s have been affected by changes made under the previous government, which has added a further year and a half to the length of time they have to wait to receive their state pension.

"I have so much sympathy for people whose pension age was increased at relatively short notice by up to 18 months," she said.

"I don't have billions of pounds to spend on keeping state pension age unequal for longer. My job is to implement the laws that have been properly passed."

She said she had examined ways to help, but "can't see any way of doing it".

Pressure group Women Against State Pension Inequality said that these women are currently losing more than £5,000 each year from the pension they have missed out on and not been able to prepare for. Co-founder Lin Phillips said the group was calling for a transitional payment to bridge the gap.

Saying she had not rejected any ideas, Altmann insisted that she would keep looking at ways to help those affected.