Women campaigning against pension changes took their case to Holyrood as MSPs debated the issue where women born in the 1950s have to wait longer to get their pension.

The Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) want the government to put measures in place that eases the burden on women born in the 1950s, who had little time to react because the equalisation and increase in pension age was accelerated and left little time to plan for the changes.

Sandra White Glasgow Kelvin MSP led a debate on the issue calling on the UK Government to put in place transitional measures to help those who had planned to retire at 60.

Tens of thousands of women in Glasgow are thought to be affected and lead campaigners travelled to Holyrood to hear the debate.

Rosie Dickson, from Waspi Glasgow and Lanarkshire group, said: “This affects around 250,000 women in Scotland. It is a particular problem for women in Glasgow where life expectancy is lower and they will be receiving even fewer retirement years.

“The goalposts have been changed with little notice given and people’s plans were blown apart.

We are not against equalisation of the pension age but we want fair transitional arrangement put in place.”

Linda Quinn, a former Glasgow City Council employee, said she retired but is having to use savings until she gets her pension

She said: “I have worked and paid for my pension. It’s not right.”

Ms White said the UK Government has a fund of cash that it could and should use to ease the plight of the Waspi women.

She said: “The Tories have ducked their responsibility to the Waspi women for too long. It’s time to face up-to reality, pensions are not a privilege, they are a contract and the UK Government has broken that contract.”

She said the UK government has rejected an independent report that shows figures are wrong and recommends how difficult financial situations for many of the women can be alleviated.

She added: “We already know the National Insurance Fund surplus is projected to be over £30 billion at the end of 2017/18, so instead of sitting on this hefty pot, the UK Government must consider releasing £8 billion to alleviate the plight of the women of the 1950’s.

“This progressive approach, will cost the UK Government significantly less and more importantly would reduce relative and absolute pensioner poverty.”