Waspi campaigners threaten legal action after ‘gaslighting’ over compensation

Waspi campaigners have threatened the UK Government with legal action unless it reconsiders the decision to reject compensation for millions of women affected by changes to the state pension age.

A watchdog recommended that compensation be paid to women born in the 1950s whose state pension age was raised to be equal with men, but Sir Keir Starmer said taxpayers can not afford what could be a £10.5 billion package.

The Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) campaign has sent a “letter before action” to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), warning of High Court proceedings if the issue is not resolved.

Angela Madden, chairwoman of the group, said members will not allow the DWP’s “gaslighting” of Waspi women to go “unchallenged”.

‘Legally wrong’

Waspi campaigners says the Government’s reasons for rejecting the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) report, which found that the women should be paid up to £2,950 each, are “legally wrong”.

The group, which has launched a £75,000 Crowdjustice campaign to fund legal action, says the Government has 14 days to respond before the case is filed.

The Prime Minister, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, who ruled out a compensation package, are among the senior ministers who backed the Waspi campaign when Labour was in opposition.

About 3.6 million women in the UK were affected by the change, first announced in the 1990s, to bring their retirement age in line with men.

This was later accelerated under the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government more than a decade ago.

Delay

However, there was a 28-month delay in writing to inform them of the changes, which the Government accepted and apologised for.

The Government previously highlighted research indicating that, by 2006, 90% of 1950s-born women knew about state pension age changes.

Waspi campaigners have claimed women suffered financial hardship and had to rethink retirement plans.

Ms Madden said: “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.”

She added: “We have been successful before and we are confident we will be again.

“But what would be better for everyone is if the Secretary of State now saw sense and came to the table to sort out a compensation package.

“The alternative is continued defence of the indefensible but this time in front of a judge.”

A Government spokesperson said: “We accept the Ombudsman’s finding of maladministration and have apologised for there being a 28-month delay in writing to 1950s-born women.

“However, evidence showed only one in four people remember reading and receiving letters that they weren’t expecting and that by 2006 90% of 1950s-born women knew that the state pension age was changing.

“Earlier letters wouldn’t have affected this.

“For these and other reasons the government cannot justify paying for a £10.5 billion compensation scheme at the expense of the taxpayer.”