A CAMPAIGN group fighting for state pension equality has received more than £80,000 in donations over the past week as it looks to fund a High Court judicial review.

The Essex branch of Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) has played its part in reaching the milestone as it looks to reach its £100,000 target, at which point it plans to launch a legal challenge against the parliamentary ombudsman.

The group accuses the ombudsman of failing to follow due process during their investigation of the department for work and pensions which, WASPI campaigners argue, failed to communicate changes to the state pension age for women.

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It is estimated more than 103,000 1950s-born women across Essex have been affected by department for work and pensions’ alleged maladministration in relation to changes to the state pension age from 60 to 65.

Essex-based WASPI campaigners Frances Neil and Debbie Dalton said the lack of notice relating to the change in the state pension age ruined retirement plans for thousands of women across the county.

They added: “This [milestone] is testament to the longstanding commitment of WASPI women to get justice.

"It sends a message to both the Ombudsman and the Government that we are not going away.”