I know that the decision to accelerate the rise in the women’s State Pension Age has had a devastating impact on many women who were born in the 1950s, some of whom are now facing hardship and destitution as a result.

There are 3,800 women in Worsley & Eccles South who have been affected by this injustice and I can assure you that I will continue supporting the fight for 1950s-born women.

I remain a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension Inequality for Women.

The manifesto I stood on at the 2019 General Election committed to work with these women to design a system of recompense for the losses and insecurity they have suffered. In addition, I oppose plans to increase the state pension age even further and I think legislation should be introduced to prevent accrued rights to the state pension from being changed.

More generally, I believe the triple lock should be maintained and Winter Fuel Payments and free bus passes should be guaranteed as universal benefits.

I have now written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to urge him to consider help for women affected by state pension inequality in the upcoming budget.

I believe that more must be done to provide 1950s-born women with security and dignity in older age and I will press the Government on this at every opportunity.