Around 11,000 WASPI women across the Isle of Wight have seemingly lost their battle against the Government as Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall says they will not be compensating those affected.
For several years Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) have been fighting to have their voices heard. Campaigners say successive governments failed to properly inform them of increases to their State Pension age, which was meant to take place over 10 years but was sped up as a result of cost-cutting measures.
The worst affected individuals received just 18 months’ notice of a 6-year delay to their State Pension, plunging tens of thousands of women into poverty. It’s thought that as many as 3.6million women have been affected.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman made a recommendation earlier this year that every woman affected should received compensation of up to £2,950, but the Government has said that such a move would burden the taxpayer.
The Government says that a pay out to those hit by the poor communication wouldn’t be ‘fair’ or considered ‘value for taxpayers’ money’.
Liz Kendall has, however, apologised for the delay of more than 2 years in sending out letters to women born in the 1950s.
Local MPs Joe Roberston for Isle of Wight East and Richard Quigley for Isle of Wight West are among those that have previously backed WASPI’s calls for compensation, arguing those affected deserve fair compensation and an apology from ministers.
Commenting on today’s developments, Joe Robertson MP has said:
“I am very disappointed in this decision by the Government.
Article continues below this advertisement “This is a matter of priorities, and today the wrong choice was made for WASPI women.
“The Government has given a £9,000 pay rise for train drivers already earning an average of £60,000, and £10 billion for a GB Energy scheme that won’t produce any energy—yet not a penny for the WASPI women, who continue to be overlooked. People will rightly question these choices by the Government about where to provide support.”
This current Labour Government are a total disgrace,
no wonder they are cancelling local elections,
they know how unpopular they are.
They make the Conservatives look like good guys.
Not too costly to house a load of illegal immigrants in hotels though eh? These women have paid that money in, it is THEIR money that has been stolen from them
As a husband of a WASPI I am thoroughly angry with this inept government, who will throw £millions at illegal immigrants, etc.
And a cruncher – my wife worked for DWP as a benefits advisor and was neither told personally or by department memo.
Sadly we are now foreigners in our own
country.
Our Fathers and their Fathers didn’t fight in
2 World Wars for this.
Any thoughts Mr Quigley ?
Mr Quigley? Conspicuous by his absence except when his canteen is threatened by the loss of 600 jobs at Vestas.
We were all conned by Labour promises.
There will never be enough jobs available on the
Island to replace the lost Vestas jobs.
People will have to move off the island for jobs
He don’t give one sh*t, his pocket is nicely lined though
Tax payers pay for his luxury 2nd home in London.
All heating expenses etc are claimed for on his
Expenses, along with food etc.
Best job in the world, become a Politician
everything is free of charge, compliments to the
Tax payers.
He is still sorting the Ferries,
Probably playing with his rubber duck more like.
This is the most useless Government I have ever seen!
Come back Boris, all is forgiven.
Worth pointing out that the original Act in 1995 was a Conservative one, and only got through because of a ten-year phase in clause from 2010 meaning that not all women would be affected at once and the losses would therefore be small. That remained until the Labour Government (1997-2009) went out and was changed in 2011 by the Conservative government Pension Act and was sped up, no phase-in transition period. In the 13 years since, Waspi women have had to crowdfund to fight the injustice time and again. Given that in 2019 there was a chance of a government would WOULD have paid out under Corbyn and McDonell, most of you decided that the same Tory government that screwed us in the first place would be good to run the country and voted them in AGAIN. There is now NO money for retroactive payouts, and precious little for much else…they left too much debt, and this one was never ring-fenced….because of The Tories.
It is no good keep blaming the previous
Party.
Labour are now in control and it is for them
to sort out this problem.
Increase taxes if necessary, these women paid
in all their lives and when they left school they were
under the impression they were retiring at 60 years
of age. (Can’t keep moving the goal posts)
This Government should reduce the retirement age
down to 60 for everyone and get the million
youngsters who don’t want to work, working.
There are always choices when you get into government. Blaming the Tories for their choices is one thing. Letting Labour off the hook for deciding not to reverse a bad decision is another. Labour gave every indication they would make it right for the WASPI Women. The ombudsman recommended it. They decided to go against their ruling & yet again changed their minds. While they were in opposition they had quite the opposite opinion on the matter