WASPI stands for “Women Against State Pension Inequality“. This group came into existence after the state pension age for women increased from 60 to 65. In a five-year investigation, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) found that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) failed to sufficiently communicate changes to women’s state pension age. The PHSO recommended compensation ranging from £1000 to £2950 to WASPI. The UK government announced that it has decided not to provide any compensation. Labour’s refusal to cover state pension age adjustments has WASPI women’s anger at pension reforms.
WASPI women’s protest
Women Against State Pension Inequality, or WASPI, describes those born in the 1950s, more precisely between 6 April 1950 and 5 April 1960.
WASPI women’s anger at pension reforms: They say they were not properly informed by the government that their state pension age would increase from age 60 to age 65. Legislation introduced in 1995 increased the state pension age from 60 to 65 between 2010 and 2020, aligning it with men’s retirement age.
Women born in the 1950s were negatively impacted, as the Pensions Act of 2011 sped up this transition, concluding by November 2018. Around 3.8 million women experienced the effect.
The government changed the state pension age for men and women to 66 in 2020. Moreover, it raise the age once more from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028.
WASPI have thus fought for government compensation, claiming they did not have adequate information about the change.
What was discovered during the WASPI investigation?
The PHSO released the results of its five-year investigation on March 21, 2024. It was a critical evaluation of the conduct of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The report found that the DWP failed to sufficiently communicate changes to women’s state pension age. It also did not properly investigate or respond to complaints regarding these issues.
Moreover, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) believes that the DWP is unlikely to take any corrective action. Therefore, it is presenting its report to Parliament and requesting intervention to seek an appropriate remedy, including compensation and an apology.
Affected women should have received at least 28 months‘ additional notice of the changes from the DWP, according to a report by the PHSO. Women who were unaware of the changes lost the chance to adjust their retirement plans due to delays in notification.
In response to WASPI women’s anger at pension reforms, PHSO recommended compensation between £1,000 and £2,950 per individual.
Prime Minister’s comments on WASPI pensions
The Prime Minister has confirmed to reporters in Rio that WASPI will soon receive an update regarding state pension compensation. Sir Keir Starmer informed the press that DWP Secretary Liz Kendall would make a statement on this matter soon.
Keir Starmer stated, “This is a very serious report, and the DWP secretary will respond.”
The Labour Government will not pay compensation to WASPI
Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall apologized on behalf of the government for “maladministration,” which delayed the letters outlining the changes being sent to the affected women. Kendall noted that decisions made between 2005 and 2007 resulted in a 28-month delay in the communication process for women born in the 1950s.
She continued, “However, we disagree that sending letters earlier would have produced the effects mentioned in the PHSO reports.”
Liz Kendall stated that she understood the WASPI women’s anger at pension reforms. However, she rejected calls for individuals affected to be awarded between £1,000 and £2,950 each. She firmly stated that denying compensation was both the “right decision and the fair decision.” She believes that most women were aware that the state pension age was increasing, so sending letters earlier would not have significantly changed the situation for most individuals.
Additionally, she argued that the proposed compensation scheme is neither fair nor a good use of taxpayers’ money. She stated that it is not proportionate for the government to pay WASPI a flat rate that could cost up to £10.5 billion using public funds.
Starmer is under pressure from his own party
Keir Starmer is facing upset from members of his own party regarding the government’s decision to not award compensation to WASPI.
The Prime Minister has claimed that taxpayers cannot afford the £10.5 billion compensation package. However, there have been demands for a vote or for Number 10 to reconsider.
Veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott stated on Newsnight that the Prime Minister has “no feel for politics”. She accused him of failing to understand WASPI women’s anger at pension reforms.
Regarding MPs’ feelings about the decision, the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington stated, “Many MPs are quite unhappy.”
WASPI women’s anger at pension reforms
The government does not want to consider the problems of the nearly 3.8 million women affected by the changes. The campaigners of WASPI women’s anger at pension reforms realize this issue.
Angela Madden, chairwoman of WASPI, stated: “The government has made an unprecedented political choice today to ignore the clear recommendations of an independent watchdog, which ordered ministers to urgently compensate WASPI nine months ago.”
This is an absurd and completely unfounded action that raises questions about the purpose of an ombudsman if ministers can disregard their decisions.
“It feels like a decision that would make the likes of Boris Johnson and Donald Trump blush.”
Ms. Madden stated, “An overwhelming majority of MPs support WASPI’s demands for fair compensation, and all options are still being considered. Parliament must now find an alternative way to bring this issue to the forefront so that justice can be achieved.”