A growing rift between the Labour Party government and campaigners for women affected by State Pension age changes has deepened in recent weeks, highlighting a significant issue that has impacted 3.6 million women, particularly those born in the 1950s and 1960s. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has come under scrutiny for its refusal to implement a compensation scheme recommended by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) last March. Now, MPs are stepping in.
DWP under fire over continued dismissal of WASPI women
Lib Dem MP Josh Babarinde has been vocal in urging the DWP to “reverse the Government’s decision not to provide pension compensation to women who were born in the 1950s and 1960s.”
The recommendation from the PHSO arose from a report that underscored the detrimental effects of delays in informing women about their changing State Pension age. The Ombudsman highlighted that many women were left unaware of crucial changes that significantly impacted their retirement planning due to a 28-month delay in sending out notifications.
This delay prompted the PHSO to call for a redress scheme, which would offer compensation between £1,000 and £2,950 for the affected women. However, DWP minister Torsten Bell dismissed the proposition, indicating that such a compensation package could cost taxpayers as much as £10.5 billion—a figure the government deemed unsustainable.
In a recent statement, Bell maintained that while the government accepts the findings of maladministration due to the delay and has offered an apology, it disagrees with the PHSO’s views on the “injustice” of the situation. He noted:
We carefully considered the Ombudsman’s findings to ensure our decision was fair and based on the evidence.
Despite the DWP’s stance, resistance is mounting among campaigners, particularly the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) group.
‘Gaslighting’
Angela Madden, chairwoman of WASPI, articulated the group’s frustration, stating they will not allow the DWP’s perceived “gaslighting” of WASPI women to go “unchallenged.”
The WASPI campaign has been pivotal in bringing this issue into the public eye, and they have initiated a legal challenge against the DWP, signalling that unless the government reconsiders its position, legal action will commence.
Madden also raised concerns about the validity of the government’s argument, maintaining that many women have experienced financial hardship and the need to drastically alter their retirement plans due to these changes. She declared:
The Government has accepted that 1950s-born women are victims of maladministration, but it now says none of us suffered any injustice. We believe this is not only an outrage but legally wrong.
As the situation evolves, the WASPI campaign has seen people donate £128,000 to a crowdfunder to fund their legal case against the DWP. The government is now under pressure, with a noted deadline of 14 days for them to respond to the impending legal action, which could escalate to court intervention.
Further complicating matters, a parliamentary debate on proposals for a compensation scheme will take place on 17 March. This dialogue may create additional avenues for the plight of these women to be addressed.
A DWP scandal like no other
The backdrop of this DWP controversy runs deep, as the shift in the State Pension age for women was first initiated in the 1990s. This was accelerated under the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government over a decade ago, a move that has been met with widespread discontent from affected women.
Previous research has suggested that by 2006, 90% of 1950s-born women were aware of the changes, a statistic the DWP relies upon to justify its refusal for compensation, asserting that early notifications would not have impacted the awareness for the vast majority.
Nevertheless, campaigners argue that the failure to communicate changes effectively has left many vulnerable, with tangible socio-economic repercussions. They continue to rally for justice, insisting on recognition of the obstruction they faced and the consequent need for redress.
As the DWP’s position remains firm, the voices of those affected are growing louder, calling for accountability and fair treatment from a government that many feel has brushed their struggles aside.
Featured image via the Canary
