Local Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaigners are asking members, delegates, councillors and MPs attending this weekend’s (Saturday and Sunday, 1st and 2nd March) Labour Party South East Regional Conference in Portsmouth for their continued support.
In December, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions responded to a landmark report from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), accepting that ‘maladministration’ had taken place at the Department for Work and Pensions when it failed to communicate life-impacting State Pension age changes to women born in the 1950s. But she rejected the watchdog’s findings that injustice had occurred and compensation is due.
Contrary to the independent Ombudsman’s conclusions, the Government alleged that some 90% of WASPI women knew about state pension age changes despite DWP’s failure to inform them. In consequence, ministers said not a penny of compensation would be paid to the 3.6 million affected.
A breach of legal principles
However, on Monday, 24th February 2025, WASPI presented a legal case to the Government, claiming their reasons for failing to compensate 1950s-born women in line with the PHSO’s recommendations are unlawful.
The campaigners have launched a Crowdjustice campaign, urging their supporters to help fund the legal action. It reached its initial target of £75,000 on the first day. WASPI lawyers argue that the Government’s reasons for rejecting the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s (PHSO) recommendation to compensate women for Maladministration are not only wrong but also a breach of legal principles.
Irrelevant research findings
Ministers have also relied on research findings that only 25 per cent of women would have read and recalled a letter about changes to their State Pension age had it been sent sooner.
Legal experts argue this is irrelevant because the research concerned generic pension information, rather than specific letters about an individual’s own circumstances.
“1950s-born women are victims of Maladministration”
In a joint statement, WASPI group coordinators Shelagh Simmons (Solent and Isle of Wight), Gill Saul (South Coast), Yvonne Robinson and Anne Todd (North East Hampshire and Surrey Borders), 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 untrue but legally wrong.
“Scores of MPs across all parties have expressed outrage at the Government’s decision to ignore the independent Ombudsman and refuse compensation despite it clearly being owed.“But ministers refuse to listen to their own MPs, and as such we are forced to take to the courts to obtain justice.
“However, what would be better for everyone is if the Secretary of State came to the table to sort out a compensation package. We call upon those attending this weekend’s Labour conference to urge the Secretary of State and Cabinet Ministers to do that. The alternative is continued defence of the indefensible but this time in front of a judge.”
“PM was elected on a promise of restoring truth and integrity to politics”
They added,
“Some of our strongest support has always come from the Labour Party. It prides itself on being ‘the party of social justice’. The Prime Minister was elected on a promise of restoring truth and integrity to politics.
“Undermining a system meant to protect the public and provide a remedy for state-level mistakes runs counter to those principles. And that should be of concern to every single one of us – including those at the Conference – not just WASPI women.”
News shared by Shelagh on behalf of Solent WASPI. Ed
