Waspi update as MPS demands ‘review’ of the government’s decision | Personal finance | Finance

A group of parliamentarians has requested a meeting with government ministers to work “towards justice” for the Waspi (women against State pension Inequality) generation of women.

The activists were devastated last month when the Labor Government announced that there would be no compensation payments for women born in the 1950s, which were affected when their state pension Age increased from 60 to 65 and then 66, to align it with men.

The dispute is how the DWP He informed the women of change, with the defender of the parliamentary people and health service (PHSO) that he previously discovered that there was a “bad administration” in this. The Ombudsman has recommended payments between £ 1,000 and £ 2,950 for women.

But the Secretary of Labor and Pensions, Liz Kendall, told the Commons in December 2024 that providing compensation would be a misuse of taxpayers’ money, arguing that most women knew that their state pension Age would be rising.

Many parliamentarians and political parties in Westminster support the campaign, and the parliamentary group of all parties (Appg) for state pension The inequality for women has now written to ministers urging more actions.

The letter to Mrs. Kendall and Foreign Minister Rachel Reeves urges the government to “review” her approach to the findings of the Ombudsman.

The APPG also asked the ministers to meet them to “discuss forward to justice for these women” and meet the demands of a “parliamentary debate and vote on the repair mechanisms.”

The Ombudsman, Karl Bannister, spoke with the work committee and pensions last week on the subject. Criticized the government’s position that would have made little difference if letters on the state pension The increase in age had come out before.

He said: “The government at that time considered the right thing was to send letters to people to increase consciousness.

“He did not, that is the bad administration. It is quite difficult to point out and say, we do not believe that the letters would have worked.

“The point on communication, and we find this with the plaintiffs who come to us, is that they must expect people to have all kinds of ways in which they receive information. The different demography have different preferences.”

Angela Madden, president of the Waspi campaign, said they will continue in their fight for compensation. She promised: “We will continue campaigning.

“We are redoubled our efforts with parliamentarians. The Scottish Parliament voted unanimously to press the United Kingdom government to do what Waspi should and pay.

“Maybe things will happen in the Assemblies of Welsh and Ireland of the North also transmitted.

A consistent means of support for compensation has been the SNPAnd today (January 28) there will be a vote in Parliament on a bill presented by SNP Mp, Stephen Flynnto provide a compensation scheme.

The APPG letter urging action also points out the “extraordinary emotional, physical and psychological anguish” caused to women.

The parliamentarians said they have been contacted by “innumerable individual components” with their experiences of being thrown into “unexpected financial difficulties.”