My blood boils when I hear critics say Waspi women should have known better, says Rachel Rickard Straus

Of course I think that we should all take responsibility for our financial futures I’m a money editor after all.

Yet, my blood boils when people use this argument to wash their hands of Waspi women.

It’s easy to look at this generation, who were born in the ’50s, through today’s lens.

Stop judging: It’s easy to look at the Waspi generation, who were born in the ’50s, through today’s lens

Today financial independence is much easier to achieve and finding out about your state pension is seen as a responsibility we all share.

But the working lives of Waspi women have straddled two very different worlds.

While today they’re being admonished for not being financially independent, it was not so long ago they would have been rebuked for daring to be.

When Waspi women were starting their careers, women were encouraged to rely on men for their finances, while supporting their husbands, children and ageing parents.

Don’t forget it wasn’t until 1975 that a law was passed permitting women to open a bank account in their own name.

When some Waspi women were 24, women still couldn’t apply for a loan or mortgage without the signature of their husband or father.

As late as 1971, just over half of women worked. Today, it’s closer to three quarters. Many were encouraged, or forced by their employer, to give up work when they married.

Yes, millions worked many in hard jobs, for decades and while balancing other responsibilities. But even then they were treated as second-class to men.

Today, women are paid £92.30 on average for every £100 paid to their male counterparts.

But among those over 60, women get just £85.80 for every £100 earned by men.

So it’s a bit rich to turn around now and say Waspi women should have put aside more and taken greater responsibility for knowing their state pension age. Many did save and were aware of the pension changes.

But the ombudsman and National Audit Office have been quite clear in saying the communication of the state pension changes were woefully lacking.

Jeremy Hunt has so far refused to commit to any compensation, arguing that it ‘has to come from other taxpayers’.

Unlike successive chancellors and governments before him, he must not sweep the business under the carpet.

Yes, many women affected by the state pension age changes have robust finances and don’t need support.

But, reading the hundreds of emails Money Mail has received from Waspi women, it is clear there are far more who deserve help.

Any money given to these women would very quickly find itself in circulation spent on essential bills, food, healthcare things that would grow the economy and not shrink it.

It is clear what is due at once: an apology. Money Mail reader Carole echoed so many letters to our office when she wrote: ‘You cannot backdate equality. Men have had their whole lifetime to prepare for their pension. How were we supposed to catch up and plan for the future?’