Everything you need to know about WASPI campaign as Labour refuse payout
The Government has issued a fresh statement on the plight of the WASPI women, and it won't go down well.
Millions of state pensioners have been dealt a huge blow by the Labour Government today after it once again said it would be refusing to pay compensation to the WASPI women.
The Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign, demanding billions in recompense for more than three million women, were told that the government will refuse to change its mind on its previous refusal to pay out compensation in December 2024.
Take a look below for everything you need to know about the campaign.
What is the WASPI campaign?
The campaign was launched by women affected by the increase in the state pension age for women from 60 to 65 in 2018.
Before 1940, men and women's state pension was set at the same age of 65. However in 1940 the women's pension age was lowered to 60.
In 1991, John Major's government first announced its intention to equalise the state pension age, a move that was passed into law in 1995 and phased in from 2010 to 2020.
However activists have claimed they were given insufficient notice about the changes, and as such were forced to postpone their retirement plans and continue working as a result.
Campaigners accused the DWP of failing to communicate the change properly and have demanded compensation as a result.
The PHSO (Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman) also considered the case and has already ruled there were errors on the part of the DWP in how the change was administered. The government's latest intervention follows the Ombudsman's report.
Who would get compensation?
The issue relates to the generation of women born in the 1950s who were affected when the state pension age was pushed back when it increased from 60 to 65, in 2018, to make it the same as for men.
Those who were most affected were the 3.8 million women born between April 6, 1950 and April 5, 1960.
How much could the compensation be?
The PHSO has several bandings of compensation it can rule should be administered, with the highest of Level 6, where those affected get payouts of £10,000 or more.
MP Alan Brown recently put forward a bill to require the DWP to set out a compensation plan, and he recommended this top band of compensation should be applied.
He said in Parliament: "The lack of resolution for the 3.8 million WASPI women is a disgrace. Those 3.8 million women were given the bombshell that their state pension age was going to increase from 60 to 66 just as they were about to retire and it was too late to do any proper financial planning.
Read more: WASPI 'full recommendations' update after DWP grilled by MPs
Read more: DWP given March 2 deadline as people born in one decade could get £2,950
Read more: WASPI women issue huge compensation demand as they urge Labour to 'rethink'
What's Labour's latest position?
On Thursday 29 January, the government published a fresh decision after considering a report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, which followed fresh evidence coming to light.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden insisted that his latest statement was not about the merits of previous compensation decisions, but about how the changes were communicated to women who would be affected.
Mr McFadden said he had come to the same conclusion as his predecassor came to in December 2024, namely that WASPI women should not get compensation.
He cited the £10.3 billion cost of the compensation scheme, adding: "[It] would simply not be right or fair given it would be paid to the vast majority who were aware of the changes."
Is the government doing anything?
Mr McFadden said that having examined the impact the changes had on some WASPI women's lives, the government will develop an "Action Plan for the future", which has now resumed following today's announcement.
How did the WASPI women respond?
Angela Madden, Chair of Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), said the campaign would be taking legal advice, and that "all options remain on the table".
Ms Madden blasted: "Ministers have demonstrated their utter contempt for 1950s-born women, for Parliament and for the Parliamentary Ombudsman.
“The Government has kicked the can down the road for months, only to arrive at exactly the same conclusion it has always wanted to.
“This is a disgraceful political choice by a small group of very powerful people who have decided the harm and injustice suffered by millions of ordinary women simply does not matter.
“The Parliamentary Ombudsman says economic circumstances should not be used as an excuse to deny compensation. The Government has magically found billions to fund policies not made in their election manifesto, proving money can quickly become available when ministers consider something a priority.
“WASPI is taking legal advice, and all options remain on the table. We stand ready to pursue every avenue in Parliament and in the courts to secure the justice that has been so shamefully denied.”
