Waspi women are up against pension systems built by men, for men

The basic state pension was introduced in 1948. Payments in were made through national insurance and women could claim it at 60 and men at 65.

It was a scheme drawn up by male politicians with little consideration for the lives of women. And so the division between men and women in the state pension began.

For decades men, who died earlier than women and so could claim the state pension for less time, complained that the system was unfair to them.

But women who stayed at home to raise children routinely lost out on contribution years when they were not working. Male politicians (again) tried to recognise this by moving to a system where women could claim their state pension by relying on their