Millions of Waspi women again refused compensation

Pensions secretary offers apology amid widespread criticism

- DAVID MADDOX KATE DEVLIN

Women affected by changes to the state pension age have accused the government of treating them with “utter contempt” after ministers rejected their claim for compensation once again.

Campaigners say as many as 3.8 million “Waspi women” lost out on money because of the way in which changes to the state pension age were communicated.

The government had previously vowed not to offer compensation, but work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden announced in November last year that the case was being reconsidered after a new document came to light. However, he told MPs yesterday that the government had again reached the conclusion that no money should be paid.

The decision prompted a furious backlash, with Sir Keir Starmer’s own MPs hitting out, describing it as a “shameful day” for the Labour Party.

Announcing that the women concerned would not receive compensation, Mr McFadden apologised that women born in the 1950s were not sent individual letters about the changes to their state pension earlier. But he warned that a flat-rate compensation scheme would have cost more than £10bn.

He told the Commons there were “legitimate and sincerely held views” about whether the decision to accelerate the equalisation of the state pension age “was the right thing to do or not”. But the issue of compensation is based on “how changes to the state pension age were communicated”, not past policy decisions, he said.