Win for Waspi women as crunch talks with Labour to begin over £3,000 state pension compensation: 'Justice!'
Waspi campaigners have agreed to talk to Labour's pensions minister
PA
The Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) campaign has secured a meeting with the new Labour Government to discuss potential compensation, of nearly £3,000, for women born in the 1950s impacted by a historic state pension injustice.
Campaigners have been calling on the pensions minister Emma Reynolds to meet to discuss "fair and fast" compensation for the 3.6 million people who have seen their retirement income diminished as a result of Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) "maladministration".
Angela Madden, the campaign's chain, confirmed that a meeting is due to take place when once MPs return to Parliament on September 2.
She said: "We are pleased the Pensions Minister has agreed to meet with Waspi representatives after the summer recess and we look forward to working in collaboration with her to see justice delivered to those affected as quickly as possible.
"We have been overwhelmed with support from MPs across the political spectrum since the election and the cross-party consensus for delivering fair and fast compensation is clearly growing."
A DWP spokesperson told GB News: "This was a serious report, requiring serious consideration. In July, we agreed with the Waspi campaign that the Minister for Pensions would meet them, and we have since offered them a date in early September.
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Campaigners are calling on policymakers to do more for women born in the 1950s WASPI “We will continue to listen respectfully to the women involved, and ensure we take on board any lessons learnt.”
Last month, Reynolds was asked by another Labour MP whether a meeting with Waspi women would go be on the cards with the recent change in Government.
She responded: "As a newly formed Government, we need time to review the Ombudsman’s report along with the evidence provided during the investigation.
"We will listen to all views, including those of 1950s-born women as we take this work forward.
"The Waspi organisation has written to me and I intend to meet with their representatives in due course."
What is the Waspi campaign?
As a consequence of state pension age equalisation between men and women, many women were left unable to prepare for retirement financially due to not being adequately informed of the changes.
Women across the country have joined the Waspi campaign to fight for "fair and fast" compensation for those impacted by the DWP's handling of the age change, which took place between 2010 and 2020.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The Waspi campaign has fought to address historic inequality women has faced
WASPIIn 2021, a report conducted by the Parliament and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) found the Government department guilty of "maladministration".
A follow-up report conducted earlier this year determined that women born in the 1950s may be entitled to a Level 4 amount compensation payout, which would come to between £1,000 and £2,950.
During the General Election campaign, both Labour and the Conservative Party came under fire for failing to propose or reference compensation for Waspi women in their respective manifestos.
Previously, the Waspi campaign has called for a Level 6 amount of compensation which would result in a £10,000 payout or more.