Plaid Cymru welcomes WASPI women report

Plaid Cymru has welcomed a report which calls for women who lost out when the state pension age was changed, to receive compensation.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) report says the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) failed to adequately communicate changes to women’s state pension age and has asked Parliament to intervene and “act swiftly” to make sure a compensation scheme is established.

To date, the DWP has not acknowledged its failings, nor put things right for those affected, the ombudsman said.

Its investigation found that thousands of women may have been affected by DWP’s failure to adequately inform them that the state pension age had changed.

Liz Saville Roberts MP, Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader backed recommendation that women born on or after April 6 1950 should receive a payout of between £1,000 and £2,950.

‘Overdue’

“Today’s news is welcome, but long overdue. WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) women have suffered a grave injustice,” she said.

“At the very least, the UK Government should now implement the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s recommendations in full so that justice can finally be served for the millions of women wronged by Westminster.

“Plaid Cymru has stood with WASPI every step of the way. In 2016, we passed a motion at our annual conference opposing the changes and calling on the UK Government to change course. We have consistently raised the issue in Westminster, which has included calling on the UK Government to put in place transitional arrangements for WASPI women, including phasing in the changes, and a bridging pension and compensation for those affected to cover the period between age 60 and the new state pension age.

“I am especially proud of the hard work Ben Lake MP has done to support Ceredigion WASPI women since he was elected in 2017. We will continue to support WASPI and pledge to help in any way we can.”

Pension Act

The 1995 Pensions Act and subsequent legislation raised the state pension age for women born on or after April 6 1950.

The ombudsman investigated complaints that, since 1995, DWP has failed to provide accurate, adequate and timely information about areas of state pension reform.

Stage one of its investigation was published in July 2021. It found failings in the way DWP communicated changes to women’s state pension age.

The DWP’s handling of the pension age changes meant some women lost opportunities to make informed decisions about their finances. It diminished their sense of personal autonomy and financial control, the ombudsman said.

In addition to paying compensation, the ombudsman made it clear that the DWP should acknowledge its failings and apologise for the impact it has had on complainants and others similarly affected.