Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling asked when an answer would be forthcoming from the government on compensation fro WASPI campai (Image: Parliament TV)
A government minister provided an update in Parliament regarding the campaign for compensation for the 'WASPI' women, who were affected by changes to the state pension age, and pledged to return with further information 'in the coming weeks'.
The WASPI organisation, representing Women Against State Pension Inequality, has been advocating for fair payments following the government ombudsman's ruling against the government.
In March this year, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) published its report, recommending payouts of ￡1,000 to ￡2,950 for the affected women due to the government's insufficient notice of the state pension age increase.
The issue affects 3.8 million women born between April 6, 1950, and April 5, 1960, whose State Pension age was raised from 60 to 65 and then to 66.
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During Department for Work and Pensions questions in the Commons yesterday (November 11), Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling asked: "All members in this chamber are aware of the waspi women campaign and the parliamentary ombudsman's findings. Will the secretary of state before Christmas commit to this house that she will come and give a statement in respect of the progress of her review of this ombudsman report? "
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READ MORE WASPI hopes renewed as key support will 'hold ministers to account'
Pensions Minister Emma Reynolds responded: " I thank the honourable gentleman for that question. As he will know, the ombudsman took six years to look at what are a range of complex cases, and we are looking at the complexity of those cases. I was the first minister in six years to meet with representatives of the waspi campaign. We hope to update this house in the coming weeks."
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman released its final report in March, stating that the DWP failed to provide sufficient notice to women about the increase in pension age to 65 as per the 1995 Pensions Act. However, it did give adequate warning regarding the impact of the Pensions Act 2011, which further raised the age to 66.
WASPI and other campaigners are urging the Government to compensate women born in the 1950s who were affected by the rise in state pension age from 60 to 65. The PHSO has suggested that compensation for all those impacted would cost between ￡3.5 billion and ￡10.5 billion.
Recently, Pensions Minister Ms Reynolds disclosed that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been delving into the potential costs of setting up a compensation scheme for those impacted. In her written reply, Ms Reynolds noted that during the DWP's examination of the Ombudsman's findings, it was revealed that the estimated cost to compensate all women at level four - which ranges between ￡3.5 billion and ￡10.5 billion - had not included administrative expenses.
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The Pensions Minister elaborated: "As part of our work on the Ombudsman's investigation and report, we have been considering the costs of setting up a compensation scheme. The Ombudsman used DWP's broad estimates in their report published 21 March 2024, stating that 'Compensating all women born in the 1950s at the level 4 range would involve spending between around ￡3.5 billion and ￡10.5 billion of public funds'. This estimate excludes administration costs."
She further stated: "This Government is giving its full and proper consideration to all areas of the Ombudsman's report. Once this work has been undertaken, we will be in a position to outline our approach."