The government’s decision not to compensate women affected by changes to their state pension age has sparked outrage among the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) group. The campaign estimates that 3.6 million women lost out financially because the government failed to adequately communicate the changes, which impacted their retirement plans. Shelagh Simmons from Solent WASPI said, “Most of us have been ignored or received the standard government reply.” The group feels betrayed by some Labour MPs who promised support during the election period but have since changed their stance.
In December, Kier Starmer acknowledged the group’s disappointment but said the taxpayer “simply can’t afford the burden of tens of billions of pounds of compensation.” The WASPI campaign has been asking for compensation, claiming many women had to work up to six years longer than expected or face financial hardship in their older age. Mrs. Simmons remarked, “We are baffled why those Labour politicians who stood with us, campaigning with placards, have now changed their tune.” She also raised concerns that a report from a parliamentary ombudsman in March 2024 recommending compensation has been ignored.
Richard Quigley, the MP for Isle of Wight West, said he “understood where the group is coming from” and expressed disappointment over the government’s decision.
Waspi women seek pension fairness
Neil Duncan-Jordan, the MP for Poole, said he did not support the decision to “deny any compensation to those who were clearly let down by the state.”
The campaign is regrouping and assessing its next move.
“We will keep going. If they thought we were going to quietly go away, they’ve misjudged us completely,” said Mrs. Simmons. They hope that the all-party parliamentary group on state pension inequality for women will raise their concerns in its next meeting.
A government spokesperson said, “We accept the Ombudsman’s finding of maladministration and have apologized for there being a 28-month delay in writing to 1950s-born women. However, evidence showed that only one in four people remember reading and receiving letters they weren’t expecting, and by 2006, 90% of 1950s-born women knew that the State Pension age was changing. Earlier letters wouldn’t have affected this.
For these and other reasons, the government cannot justify paying for a £10.5 billion compensation scheme at the expense of the taxpayer.”
