Waspi Campaigners Announce New Legal Challenge Over State Pension Compensation

Waspi campaigners have confirmed they are launching fresh legal action against the government over the handling of compensation related to changes in the state pension age. The announcement by the Women Against State Pension Inequality group follows a January decision in which women affected by the communication of those changes were told for the second time they would not receive compensation.

The campaigners said Labour’s recent local election losses should serve as a warning because Waspi women and their families represent a significant voting bloc in marginal seats.

A previous decision not to offer redress was reviewed after the rediscovery of a 2007 Department for Work and Pensions evaluation. That evaluation had led officials to stop sending out automatic pension forecast letters. The group, which has long campaigned for compensation, said in March that lawyers would raise legal errors with the government and give its lawyers 14 days to respond.

" — Angela Madden, chair of the Waspi campaign (The Independent) A report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman has previously suggested compensation ranging between £1,000 and £2,950 could be appropriate for each of those affected by the way state pension changes had been communicated.

A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said in March that the Secretary of State had set out the government’s position in an oral statement to Parliament. That statement included acceptance of maladministration and an apology to the women affected.

The legal challenge is the latest step in a dispute that has lasted years. The group has maintained that many women received inadequate notice of increases to the state pension age.