Campaigners representing the “Waspi” (Women Against State Pension Inequality) movement are threatening legal action against the government after it ruled out a £10bn compensation scheme for women born in the 1950s who were affected by changes to the state pension age.
The dispute follows the findings of the parliamentary and health service ombudsman, which last March recommended that compensation should be paid to women whose pensionable age was gradually raised to be equal with men. The ombudsman argued that the changes were not communicated properly to the affected women, leading to hardship and confusion.
In response to the government’s refusal to implement compensation, Waspi campaigners have sent a “letter before action” to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), warning of legal proceedings if the issue is not addressed.
Angela Madden, chair of the Waspi group, strongly criticised the government’s stance, accusing it of “gaslighting” the women affected. Madden said, “The government has accepted that women born in the 1950s were victims of maladministration, but now claims that none of us suffered any injustice. We believe this is not only an outrage but legally wrong.”
The government’s decision in December to deny compensation has sparked outrage among campaigners. While Labour leader Keir Starmer acknowledged the concerns raised by parliamentarians, he stated that 90% of those affected were aware of the changes and that compensating this group would impose an unsustainable financial burden on taxpayers.
“We’ve been successful before, and we are confident we will be again. But what would be better for everyone is if the secretary of state now saw sense and came to the table to sort out a compensation package. The alternative is continued defence of the indefensible, but this time in front of a judge,” Madden added.
Senior ministers, including the chancellor Rachel Reeves and the work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall, had previously backed the Waspi campaign when Labour was in opposition.
The changes to the state pension age, which began in 1995, impacted approximately 3.6 million women across the UK. The pension age for women was gradually increased to align with men, with the process accelerated in 2011 under the coalition government.
Campaigners have long argued that the changes left many women facing unexpected financial difficulties and forced them to alter their retirement plans. Brian Leishman, one of the MPs who supported a bill introduced by the SNP calling for the government to address the ombudsman’s findings, warned that the next government could adopt a more hardline approach if Labour fails to improve living standards for those affected.
A government spokesperson responded to the Waspi campaigners, acknowledging the ombudsman’s finding of maladministration and apologising for the delay in notifying women about the changes to the pension age. However, the spokesperson maintained that evidence showed that by 2006, 90% of 1950s-born women were aware of the increase in pension age. The spokesperson also stated that the government could not justify spending £10.5bn on a compensation scheme, given that only one in four women remembered receiving the initial notification letters.
The dispute continues to unfold, with campaigners now turning to the courts as they seek justice for women impacted by the changes to their pension age.
Stay tuned to London Pulse News for further updates on this ongoing dispute and other related developments.
