Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) campaigners is demanding MPs take action over the Labour Government’s refusal to award state pension compensation to millions.
The campaign has launched a fresh letter-writing initiative urging Parliament to hold a vote on compensation for women born in the 1950s who they claim were not properly notified about increases to their state pension age.
This latest move from Waspi comes after ministers refused for a second time to approve payouts for those affected by the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) “maladministration” through communication failures.
Campaigners are pressing for all MPs to be given the opportunity to vote on delivering financial redress to those impacted, which the Parliament and Health Service Om
The Waspi campaign has lobbied for state pension compensation
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The Government’s latest rejection has prompted campaigners to warn of potential legal action if ministers do not reverse their position.
Since Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden announced last week that compensation would be denied, more than 5,000 individuals have contacted their local MPs demanding a Parliamentary vote.
This response rate equates to approximately one letter being dispatched every 69 seconds, according to the Waspi camapign.
Those writing to their representatives are calling for MPs to step in directly and secure a binding vote during Government time on the compensation issue.
Waspi protestors holding placards | GETTY
Numerous parliamentarians, including a significant number of Labour backbenchers, have publicly criticised the Government’s stance in recent days.
These MPs have urged ministers to reconsider their position on the matter.
The PHSO’s investigation, which spanned six years, concluded that the DWP failed to adequately inform women about changes to their State Pension age and recommended financial redress be paid.
Despite these findings being laid before Parliament, Mr McFadden confirmed that affected women would once again receive no compensation.
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The decision marks the second time under successive administrations that the DWP has declined to provide any financial remedy.
Since the Government began reconsidering the case for Waspi compensation on 11 November, more than 9,500 affected women have passed away, campaigners have claimed.
Campaigners argue that MPs must now “take control of the order paper” to ensure justice is delivered.
Angela Madden, the Waspi campaign’s chair, said: “The findings of the Parliamentary Ombudsman are clear.
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“The DWP did not properly inform women of increases to their state pension age, and those affected by these failures are due compensation.”
She added: “Parliament has a duty to act. Every MP must now decide whether they stand with 1950s-born women, or with an incompetent Government department that fails to own up to its own mistakes.”
Ms Madden called for parliamentarians to seize control of proceedings, stating: “There must be a binding vote on compensation in Government time so all our elected representatives can have their say.”
The state pension age is scheduled to rise for thousands of Britons from 66 to 67 from this, with a payment rate hike guaranteed in April thanks to the triple lock.