The Government is set to review its decision regarding compensation for women born in the 1950s who were impacted by changes to the state pension age following the emergence of new evidence. Secretary of Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden, revealed that previously undisclosed evidence from 2007 had surfaced, which was not considered by the previous decision-maker, Liz Kendall, leading to the denial of compensation to WASPI women last year.
However, McFadden clarified to MPs that this reconsideration does not guarantee compensation for the affected women. Advocates estimate that approximately 3.6 million women were not adequately informed about the transition in retirement age from 60 to 65 to align with men. Sadly, an estimated 394,000 women have passed away since calls for compensation began in 2015.
WASPI campaigners had been pursuing a judicial review, scheduled to be heard in the High Court next month. Nevertheless, the Government has opted to withdraw from the process in order to reassess the newly surfaced evidence. In a statement to the Commons, McFadden emphasized a commitment to a fair and transparent approach in reevaluating the decision.
No specific timeline has been provided for the review process, potentially leading to further delays for those impacted. This development follows the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s recommendation in March 2024 for compensatory payouts ranging from £1,000 to £2,950 per individual. In a previous instance, the then-Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall, expressed regret for a 28-month delay in notifying those affected by the alterations but dismissed the ombudsman’s payout suggestion, citing concerns over the substantial compensation costs.
Campaigners argue that the affected women were treated unjustly, depriving them of the ability to adequately plan for their retirement. Angela Madden, Chair of Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), expressed optimism about the recent development, acknowledging the government’s acknowledgment of its misstep and the effort to rectify it promptly.
Many Labour MPs, such as Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves, openly supported the WASPI campaign while in opposition. The Labour Party had pledged to provide some form of compensation for WASPI women in its 2017 and 2019 manifestos under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn but did not reiterate the commitment in the most recent election manifesto.
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