Women’s pensions campaigners have called on Pembrokeshire's MPs to support early access to pensions and pension credits in an effort to free up jobs for younger people.

Women’s pension campaigners in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen West claim that up to 1.5 million job vacancies throughout the UK could be created if women in their 60s were allowed to access their state pensions early and retire from work.

“Around 1 million women aged 60-64, and over half a million women over 65, in the UK are in work,” said Jackie Gilderdale, organiser of Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen West Women Against State Pension Injustice (Waspi). “In fact, they make up over 10per cent of the workforce.”

“It would be a win-win solution to help the current unemployment crisis. Older women whose jobs have become too strenuous could retire if they wished.

"Much-needed jobs would be available to younger people. Many of those who joined the workforce would leave the benefits system. Their spending power would increase and the economy would benefit.

Waspi Member Sylvia Adams, 64, who has worked most of her life as a nurse, said she feels exhausted all the time.

“I am really struggling now,” said Sylvia. “My job is physically very taxing. I am absolutely exhausted all the time. I dread having to drive to the hospital in the winter weather.

"I would give up my job to someone else like a shot if I could access the pension that I have paid into for decades.

"Otherwise I will have to struggle on for another two years until I am 66.”

Ms Jackie added:“Women in their 60s are advised by the Government to minimise contact with other people because of Covid-19. But many over-60s women are working in public-facing roles such as social care, the NHS or retail.

"They are frightened to go to work but cannot afford not to because they have no other source of income. It is not just common sense, but also humane, to allow them to retire.

“Our local Waspi group have written to Stephen Crabb MP and Simon Hart MP asking them to raise the matter in Parliament and help well over 10,000 1950s women across both constituencies.”