The vast majority of women hit by changes to the state pension age are cutting back on food and socialising this Christmas and are worried about their finances, according to campaigners furious at Labour’s “betrayal”.

So-called “WASPI women” say the festive season now marks a “month of misery”.

The Women Against State Pension Inequality’s survey of those affected by the hike in the pension age found 82 per cent expect to spend less on their Christmas food shop this year.

Three-quarters worry about the future of their finances and 71 per cent will “stay at home more and avoid seeing friends and family in an effort to save money”.

The findings come as campaigners reel at the Government’s rejection of compensation – despite the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman recommending payouts of between £1,000 and £2,950 each.

The WASPI campaign has championed the plight of 3.6 million women born in the 1950s whom it claims were not properly informed that the pension for women was being brought up to the same level as men.

Nearly seven out of 10 of the women say they have been affected by the scrapping of universal winter fuel payments, which the campaign describes as a “double hit” for “an already economically vulnerable cohort”. Eighty-four percent are worried about high energy bills.

Angela Madden, who chairs the WASPI campaign, said: “Despite supportive pledges from the Prime Minister and 16 members of the cabinet, Labour has made a crass, political choice to ignore the findings of the independent parliamentary ombudsman. This heartbreaking study shows the impossible choices WASPI women have been forced to make this Christmas.

“Far from a time of celebration, this will be a month of misery for many.”

Labour MP Rachael Maskell said the Government should “urgently” rethink its position.

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She said: “The ombudsman’s report was clear that there had been maladministration of the changes and that compensation was due, from £1,000 to £2,950. Not to honour this not only undermines the thousands of WASPI women who have campaigned so hard for justice but also undermines the PHSO, as the ombudsman, which is the institution to uphold justice and protect the public.

“Government must urgently rethink its position, not least as women are already significantly disadvantaged in the pensions they receive.”

A Government spokesman said: “We accept the ombudsman’s finding of maladministration and have apologised for there being a 28-month delay in writing to 1950s-born women.

“However, evidence showed only one in four people remember reading and receiving letters that they weren’t expecting and that by 2006 90 per cent of 1950s-born women knew that the state pension age was changing.

“Earlier letters wouldn’t have affected this. For these and other reasons the government cannot justify paying for a £10.5billion compensation scheme at the expense of the taxpayer.”