Women born in the 1950s should be entitled to compensation for the Department for Work and Pension’s failures to notify them of State Pension age changes, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has found. The 3.6m affected women received as little as 12 months’ notice of a 6-year hike to their State Pension age, plunging their retirement plans and personal finances into disarray. After an investigation lasting 5 years, the PHSO’s final report places responsibility on MPs to decide a final compensation package, and criticises DWP for failing to accept their clear findings of maladministration. The PHSO Chief Executive says:
“The UK’s national Ombudsman has made a finding of failings by DWP in this case and has ruled that the women affected are owed compensation. DWP has indicated that it will refuse to comply. This is unacceptable… “Parliament now needs to act swiftly, and make sure a compensation scheme is established. We think this will provide women with the quickest route to remedy.”
Campaigners have branded the DWP’s approach ‘unbelievable’ and now expect resolution to become a major election issue among the 3.6m women affected. The Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign is pressing all parties to include pledges for fair and fast compensation in their manifestos. Research among 8,000 WASPI women found that 60 percent are undecided about who they will vote for at the general election. This month more than a dozen MPs from across the main parties, including the Isle of Wight’s Bob Seely, used a House of Commons debate to urge ministers to provide fair and fast compensation to WASPI women. In January 2022, the All Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension age changes recommended that compensation of £10,000+ should be paid to each WASPI woman. Over the last 6 years since the PHSO investigation began, MPs from all parties have voiced their support for justice for WASPI women but neither Labour nor the Conservative Party has made a firm commitment ahead of the general election. During the course of WASPI’s campaign – and the prolonged PHSO investigation – over 270,000 WASPI women have died waiting for justice. Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) Chair, Angela Madden, said:
“The DWP’s refusal to accept the clear conclusions of this five year long investigation is simply unbelievable. One of the affected women is dying every 13 minutes, and we just cannot afford to wait any longer. “Now that the PHSO findings have at last been published, all parties owe it to the women affected to make a clear and unambiguous commitment to compensation. The Ombudsman has put the ball firmly in Parliament’s court, and it is now for MPs to do justice to all the 3.6m women affected. “The report at least finds that Level 4 compensation is required, but politicians across party lines have previously supported Level 6 – which would far more clearly and reasonably recognise the injustice and loss of opportunities suffered. “We are now looking to those who have supported us over the years to put their money where their mouth is and back us on a proper compensation package. All the parties are now in the spotlight with WASPI women watching and waiting to see how they should best use their votes in the coming general election.”
Solent & Isle of Wight WASPI Coordinator, Shelagh Simmons, added:
“Isle of Wight WASPI women have already been badly let down by the DWP’s failure to communicate life-impacting State Pension age changes. To add insult to injury, they have now been let down again by its astonishing failure to accept the findings of its own watchdog and to take responsibility. In the 12th March debate, DWP Minister Paul Maynard acknowledged how important this matter is and said the Government takes it very seriously. He also said the DWP is committed to giving the best service it can. Today, those words ring very hollow indeed. We are now counting on our MPs to ensure that justice is finally done.”
Peter Aldous MP, Vice-Chair State Pension Inequality for Women APPG, said:
“These millions of women worked, cared for families, and supported communities all their lives. They deserve the dignity of fast compensation. “In line with the report submitted by the State Pension Inequality for Women APPG to the PHSO in 2022, compensation in line with category 6 injustice must be agreed by Parliament. “The campaign for justice for 1950s women goes on until Parliament reaches the right conclusion.”
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funny how I knew about these changes back in 1995 along with everyone else.
You wanted equality – you got it, pension at 65 like the men – don’t expect the DWP to hand out any money any time soon.
I do not see why I should be paying more taxes, just so you spongers can get more of it
So all pensioners are spongers????
In his world everyone is. But is the first in line to make use of all the services our tax pays for. Prob one of the many builders who also sign on.
How dare you! Yes there were murmurings of it coming into effect but no clear cut dates! I rang the DWP after receiving a letter out of the blue saying I would only receive my pension at 65. For years I had been told it was 62.5. the lady at the DWP said she had no idea whar was going on they had been inundated with calls from women. Think you need to be walk in our shoes!!
No, they were talking about it, but accelerated the decision and brought the date not only forward but also put the age up again to 67 for some, having originally said 65. It was set at 60 for women as the rules for contribution years is still 35 for state pension and it factored in child rearing years (not at work). At the same time, the legislation got pushed through quickly and without much dialogue between the parties concerned. This isn’t just about state pension of a few quid, it means that private pensions did not pay out when presumed. That has led to losses for those caught out, but also in profit increases for pensions companies still hanging on to money.
I was aware of this since it was announced in 1995 and most people who didn’t live under a rock knew about it. You’ll all be telling me next that you don’t know that the retirement age for men and women is increasing to 72 years in 2032. Surely, you all know about that, don’t you?
Wrong, it’s set to be 68 sometime not yet decided between 2037 and 2039.
No government can afford to pay out the amount of compensation that these women want. Equal rights means an equal retirement age was the reason for this change, which was announced in the 1990s. If women are given this compensation, then I want some as well. It would only be fair. But it is obvious that no government can afford to pay this ludicrous amount so it will never happen.
They’ve got plenty of money for arms and aid to other countries though!
Equality is not the point the point is the lack of time and the fact that we were not even notified I don’t class myself as a sponger considering I worked for 51 years without a break never claimed a penny just lost £54,000 because the DWP f****d up !!!!! As has been proved by the Ombudsman !!!!
my goodness look who has popped up for a pre election photo shoot
His only skill .. photo ops .. and that’s it ..
Hello ladies. Look at my lovely red braces but try to ignore the green tie. “Red and green should never be seen, except upon an Irish queen”.
Bob is a Bobby Ball impersonator in his spare time.
These changes were made in 1995, but all went quiet afterwards. Possibly owing to Tony Blair becoming PM, not that long after.
However, the question remains and has now been answered, as to whether these women had adequate notice.
In my opinion, they did not. In 1995, some of these ladies would have been 44 – 21 years is not enough time to build up a pension, especially, as many employers never offered the opportunity of even paying into a pension scheme.
In addition to this problem, many of these ladies were subjected to sexism, which was not against the law, when they started their working careers. This again, stopped some of these ladies progressing into jobs, where much higher salaries were paid. They deserve compensation!
In the same sentence Squeely said he’d like a May election, and that he thinks this problem will be addressed in the autumn statement. Not a chance they’ll have to see this through is there, but yeah, photo op and a few platitudes to the plebs will do, eh Squeely?
Watch out ladies,you have been photo bombed by an idiot!
I thought I was actually getting my pension at 60 then thought 65 then learned it was 66 where is the Justice in that all my savings gone back working now as also on serps pension which is less not entitled to pension credit either
So did I., I never got a letter informing me of the changes , so I was expecting to retire at 60
Maybe for idiots like dave the echo could include a little paragraph about what happened. The TL;DR is that they women were not informed in time, often years after the rules changed and just days before when they thought they would retire. They agree with the changes and that all should retire at the same age. It is how it was carried out that is the issue. Because the government bodged it many women where not given the opportunity to take out extra pensions or to increase pension payments to fill the short fall. This has left them out of pocket.
drivel I knew about it and these lot are just trying to rinse the taxpayer for more money
Don’t tell lies and talk crap
https://www.ombudsman.org.uk/publications/womens-state-pension-age-our-findings-department-work-and-pensions-communication/background-relating-changes-state-pension-age-women
More more crap
actual report bob – it is you who is talking crap
It is a real injustice that our money that we paid was taken away from us we lost 6 years of our money .I only had a letter to tell me just before my 60th I’m now 69 where has the money I paid in gone
you used it in endless free visits to the doctors/dentist and free prescriptions over your lifetime.
Pensions contribution via NI are separate from general taxation. Did you not know?
Karen – even you aren’t so daft as to believe that the government doesn’t just pool the whole lot in one way or another. Robbing peter to pay paul etc
an example is the unfunded liability for the armed forces pension scheme – -The latest valuation of the scheme liabilities was AFPS £279.1 billion and AFCS £3.9 billion, as at 31 March 2022. At the time there were 287,025 Active member benefits, 513,522 Deferred member benefits, and 454,000 Pensioner benefits
The Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS), incorporating the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS), is an unfunded defined benefit scheme, in which payments to pensioners are funded by employer contributions, with the shortfall being financed by the Exchequer.
..
My wife worked for DWP at that time and A. Was not informed as an individual & B. She wasn’t aware of anything going around her office of these changes.
yeah right and she clearly lived under a rock
It isn’t just the timing. Women that started work at 15 & 16 years of age were not able to join work place pensions back then.. I was well into my 40’s when I was first offered the option of a pension.. now employers have to offer it!
I paid into serps for many years, and when I reached 45 I had a letter to say that serps was not making money now and it has been cancelled, all that money I paid in,and then It stopped. I did not get a penny, then I got to what I thought was my pension year, and I couldn’t get that for another 6 years. I was also paying into a works pension, so when I had to leave my full-time job on nights and 24yrs behind me, I had my works pension of £154.00.
Which was then taken off me by Universal Credit, I was left with pittance until I eventually reached my new date for pension. SO the ones shouting about “we are money grabbers, you can shut up, you don’t know everything.!!!
Sorry Karen, my post came up that I was replying to you, but I’ve tried to put it right and I can’t, it’s not aimed at you .Lynn B.
I, didn’t get any notification that my pension would be delayed by six years. Also if we do manage to get compo, we have to prove individually that it affected us. So in the end not all of us will get it. How do you prove hardship?