Waspi women hit back at Labour over wait for state pension compensation: 'Missed opportunity!'

In 2021, the Parliament and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) found that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) guilty of "maladministration" in its handling of the state pension age equalisation.

Earlier this year, the PHSO determined that women born in the 1950s could be liable for a level four payout sum, somewhere between £1,250 and £3,700, due to not being adequately informed of the changes.

However, the ombudsman cited it was the responsibility of Parliament to vote on compensation with the Conservative-led Government under Rishi Sunak coming under fire for not putting forward an amount.

Notably, both Labour and the Tories did not commit to Waspi compensation despite the tireless campaigning from women who have had their retirements detrimentally impacted.

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Angela Madden, Waspi's chair, praised the Government for some of its proposals introduced during the King's Speech but warned that Labour was at risk of making the same "disastrous mistakes" made by the Conservatives.

She explained: "Hundreds of MPs support Waspis calls for fair and fast compensation, yet the new Government has today missed an opportunity to deliver the justice that millions of 1950s-born women deserve.

"While we welcome the new legal duty of candour which will ensure Government departments hold their hands up when things go wrong, swift action to correct the disastrous mistakes of previous administrations went amiss today.

"Waspi will continue to work cross-party to see financial redress proposals brought forward within the first 100 days of the new Parliament."

Previously, the campaign had called for a compensation amount of as much as £10,000 which is significantly more than has been recommended by the PHSO.

Reacting to Labour's proposed bills, former minister Sir Steve Webb cited how the Government was separating its private and public sector pension reforms.

On social media, he said: "Some observations on the proposed Pension Schemes Bill.

"First, it's called a 'Pension Schemes Bill' not a 'Pensions Bill' to avoid any amendments on state pensions and Waspi compensation.

Going into the most recent General Election, Labour pledged to keep the triple lock on state pension payments which determines the benefit's annual rate hike.

Under this metric, pension payments go up by either the rate of inflation, average earnings or 2.5 per cent; whichever is higher.

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However, the party stopped short of supporting the Tories' "triple lock plus" which would have seen the tax-free allowance rise in line with the whatever the triple lock's rate is.

"After Labour's landslide victory, Waspi congratulated Sir Keir's win and noted that "hundreds" of his party's MPs now support the campaign.

Madden said: "With this definitive majority, Labour has been given a strong mandate for delivering change. It is time for them to make good on their MPs’ and candidates’ record of support to deliver a compensation scheme in the first 100 days of this Parliament.

“Anything else would be to let down millions of 1950s-born women at the very first hurdle and ignoring the government's own independent watchdog would set the wrong tone for a government looking to make change. "