Fair Pensions Now: Women Urge MPs to Act on Compensation Debate
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An open letter calling for a vote by MPs on compensation for women impacted by state pension changes has been delivered to House of Commons Leader Penny Mourdant.
According to the Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) campaign, the letter has garnered 28,000 signatures, collected from supporters via change.org.
Last week, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) made the rare but necessary” decision to request Parliament's intervention regarding complaints about the communication of state pension changes.
The letter from Waspi campaigners states that the Commons must urgently have the opportunity to debate and vote” on compensation proposals.
The ombudsman investigated complaints that, since 1995, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has failed to provide accurate, adequate, and timely information about state pension reform areas.
The 1995 Pensions Act and subsequent legislation increased the state pension age for women born on or after April 6, 1950.
The ombudsman has asked Parliament to identify a mechanism for providing appropriate remedies for those who have suffered injustice.
The report issued last week stated: We think this will provide the quickest route to remedy for those who have suffered injustice because of DWP’s maladministration.”
Waspi chairwoman Angela Madden said: Now that the ombudsman has made such a clear ruling on maladministration, it is up to Parliament to determine the compensation package. But MPs can only do that if the Government makes time for the necessary debates and votes in the Commons.”
Conservative MP and co-chairman of the State Pension Inequality for Women All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Peter Aldous said: These millions of women worked, cared for families, and supported communities all their lives. They deserve the dignity of fast compensation.”
Liberal Democrat work and pensions spokeswoman Wendy Chamberlain said: The ombudsman report must now be enacted.”
Speaking to broadcasters over the weekend, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt denied deferring the decision to a future administration.
He stated that the issue is genuinely more complicated” than others where compensation has been promised.
The ombudsman’s report last week suggested that compensation at level four, ranging between £1,000 and £2,950, could be appropriate for each of those affected.
Compensating all women born in the 1950s at the level four range would involve spending between approximately £3.5 billion and £10.5 billion of public funds, the report noted, adding though we understand not all of them will have suffered injustice”.
Find out if you’re a WASPI Woman using our checklist!
Estimate your potential payout using our WASPI Compensation Calculator now!
Find out how much money the government should owe you using our WASPI Financial Loss Calculator!
