The government is set to review its decision regarding the lack of compensation for women born in the 1950s impacted by changes to the state pension age. New evidence that was not previously disclosed has surfaced, prompting the reconsideration. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden revealed that this evidence from 2007, which was not presented to his predecessor Liz Kendall during the initial denial of compensation to WASPI women last year.
While acknowledging the emergence of new evidence, McFadden cautioned that this does not guarantee compensation for WASPI women. Campaigners assert that approximately 3.6 million women were inadequately informed about the transition in retirement age from 60 to 65, aligning it with men. Sadly, an estimated 394,000 women have passed away since the call for compensation began in 2015.
In response, WASPI campaigners have been pursuing a judicial review, initially scheduled in the High Court next month. However, the government has opted to withdraw from the process to reevaluate the evidence. McFadden assured a fair and transparent approach, emphasizing that revisiting the decision does not automatically imply financial redress will be granted.
No specific timeline has been provided for the review process, raising concerns about potential further delays for affected individuals. This development follows the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s recommendation in March 2024 for compensation ranging from £1,000 to £2,950 per affected person.
While the previous Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall, expressed regret for a 28-month delay in notifying those impacted by the changes, she opposed the ombudsman’s payout suggestion, citing concerns over the substantial £10.5 billion compensation cost to taxpayers.
Advocates argue that the affected individuals were treated unjustly, resulting in inadequate retirement planning. Angela Madden, Chair of Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), welcomed the government’s reconsideration, highlighting the long-standing fight for compensation. She emphasized the urgency of swift action due to the ongoing toll on affected women.
Several Labour MPs, including Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves, openly supported the WASPI campaign during their party’s opposition stints. The Labour Party had pledged to provide some form of compensation for WASPI women in their 2017 and 2019 manifestos under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. However, this commitment was absent in the manifesto of the recent election.
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