The government’s decision not to compensate Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) has sparked outrage among affected women. Many feel let down by the government’s refusal to follow the recommendations of its own lengthy and expensive review. Cathy Preston from Heathfield, East Sussex, expressed her frustration, saying, “I’m furious at the government’s decision to ignore the advice of the ombudsman and refusal to compensate Waspi women.
What’s the point in having a lengthy and expensive review if you don’t pay it any heed?”
Preston also hinted at a broader dissatisfaction among pensioners with Labour party policies, stating, “I will never trust it with my vote again.”
Surprise at the retirement pension age is not limited to Waspi women. Sheila Hutchins, who works at Citizens Advice, recently informed a 60-year-old hairdresser that he would not be eligible for a bus pass in England until the pension age of 67, stirring a whole salon-full of people unaware of their exact pension entitlements.
Government decision sparks Waspi outrage
Karen Scott Thompson from Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, voiced her concern as a taxpayer, saying, “Does Labour not realise that I paid tax for six more years than I had expected to? For those six years, the government didn’t have to pay me the winter fuel allowance.”
Val Woodward pointed out discrepancies in expected pension amounts for women born in March 1953, who received their state pension three years late with no warning and now receive £169.50 a week, not £221.20 as stated in some articles. However, John Martin from Berry Ormskirk, Lancashire, presented a contrasting view, arguing that there should be no compensation for Waspi pensioners as the raising of the pension retirement age has been in the public domain for many years.
The Waspi decision has stirred a mix of emotions and opinions across the country, with many feeling let down by government policies and the lack of individualized communication regarding significant changes to their financial futures. The issue may lead to voters deserting Labour in future elections.
