WASPI boost as key committee could provide fresh support from November
Campaigners are continuing in their efforts to secure compensation payouts for the WASPI women.
WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) campaigners will be keeping a close eye on a new Government committee that could provide fresh support for their cause.
The Work and Pensions Committee has yet to be formed under the new Labour Government, but the previous committee came out in support of compensation for the WASPI women as recently as May.
The campaign group are calling for compensation for 1950s-born women who were affected when the state pension age for women increased from 60 to 65, to bring it in line with the state pension age for men.
Many women did not know about this change, and their retirement plans were suddenly thrown into the air when the change came in.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman has established the DWP did not do enough to properly notify the women, and the watchdog has recommended payouts of between £1,000 and £2,950, calling on Parliament to take up the issue.
But ultimately the Government has to decide whether to grant payouts and how to structure them.
The new Work and Pensions Committee could take up the WASPI cause again, especially if one of the candidates for the chair is elected.
WASPI chair, Angela Madden, explained: "Debbie Abrahams has put herself forward to be chair of the Work and Pensions Committee. She’s a good supporter of WASPI.
"But those committees might not be in place until November. First of all, you get the chairs elected, then all the members have to be elected. It’s take a bit of time.
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"That will happen after conference season. So it’s the second week in October by the time they get round to that.
"By the end of October, the committee should be in place. Then in November, they might actually start working."
MPs backing the WASPI cause could also resurrect a piece of legislation put forward to provide a compensation scheme, which was due to have its second reading before this was ended when the General Election was called.
Ms Madden said her campaign group will be in action at the Labour and Liberal Democrat party conferences.
She said of their efforts to garner support from Labour MPs: "The way Labour MPs will change their mind if they don't support is if their constituents ask them to, to tell their MP that they want them to represent WASPI women."
The WASPI group will have an exhibition stand at the Labour party conference, which is taking place in Liverpool from September 22 to 25.
The Lib Dems as a party support calls for WASPI compensation with the group backing calls for payouts again in their manifesto for the General Election. Their conference will be in Brighton from September 14 to 17.
