In a significant development for the WASPI campaign, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is revisiting its decision to deny compensation to women born in the 1950s impacted by changes to the state pension age following the emergence of new evidence.
Pat McFadden, the Secretary for Work and Pensions, revealed that undisclosed evidence from 2007, which was not presented to his predecessor Liz Kendall during the previous decision-making process, has surfaced. However, McFadden cautioned that this reassessment does not guarantee compensation for the WASPI women.
Campaigners assert that approximately 3.6 million women were inadequately informed about the transition in retirement age from 60 to 65 to align with men. Tragically, an estimated 394,000 women have passed away since calls for compensation began in 2015.
The WASPI activists have been pursuing a judicial review scheduled to take place in the High Court next month. However, the government has opted to withdraw from the proceedings to reevaluate the newly revealed evidence.
During a statement to the Commons, McFadden emphasized the commitment to a fair and transparent review process. He clarified, “Revisiting this decision does not imply an automatic decision to provide financial compensation. The review will commence promptly, and updates will be shared with the Parliament upon reaching a conclusion.”
No specific timeline has been provided for the reassessment, potentially leading to further delays for the affected individuals. This development follows the recommendation in March 2024 by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman for compensations ranging from £1,000 to £2,950 per affected person.
In December, the former Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall, expressed regret over the 28-month delay in notifying those impacted by the pension age changes but opposed the Ombudsman’s compensation proposal citing concerns over the substantial cost to taxpayers.
Advocates argue that the affected women were unjustly treated, hindering their ability to plan adequately for retirement. Angela Madden, Chair of Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), remarked on the long-standing struggle for compensation and the government’s acknowledgment of errors, calling for swift action due to the ongoing loss of WASPI women.
Numerous Labour MPs, including Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves, publicly supported the WASPI cause during their time in opposition. The Labour Party had pledged to provide some form of compensation in its 2017 and 2019 manifestos under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership but omitted the commitment in the most recent election manifesto.
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