The SNP, Liberal Democrats and Greens have joined forces with other opposition parties to demand compensation as soon as possible for millions of 1950s-born women affected by changes to their State Pension age. In a letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, the coalition of senior MPs are calling for an urgent update on compensation scheme proposals.
Senior figures including the SNP’s Stephen Flynn, Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey and Green co-leader Carla Denyer have all backed the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign’s calls for ‘fair and fast compensation’. The campaign group says that more than three and a half million women born in the 1950s were impacted after the UK Government failed to properly inform them of substantial increases to their State Pension age.
Campaigners say the worst affected women experienced increases of up to six years, while tens of thousands were plunged into poverty as a result.
The cross-party letter, sent to senior government figures on Thursday morning, calls for an urgent update on a WASPI compensation scheme, demanding a response from ministers before Christmas. Parliament is set to rise for winter recess on December 19.
The letter states: “We urge you to update Parliament on your progress in responding to the PHSO’s report before the Christmas recess, setting out the likely scope of any compensation scheme and when it will commence.”
It goes on to cite that more than 25,000 women affected by the retirement age change have died since the final report from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) was published in March 2024. The Ombudsman’s independent investigation found that affected women should have had at least 28 months’ more individual notice from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) of the changes to their State Pension age.
It also said that for women who were not aware of the changes, the opportunity that additional notice would have given them to adjust their retirement plans was lost due to delay. The report stated that “Parliament must urgently identify a mechanism for providing that appropriate remedy” and recommended compensation equivalent to Level four on its banding scale, which is worth between £1,000 and £2,950.
The new calls for action come as an online parliamentary petition calling for a WASPI compensation scheme garnered more than 127,000 signatures within days, paving the way for a Commons debate.
Angela Madden, Chair of Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), said: “WASPI’s calls for fair and fast compensation are backed by overwhelming numbers of people across the country, and a clear majority of MPs across party lines.
“The Government has shown it can do the right thing by compensating victims of the infected blood and Post Office scandals; however many will also be asking why WASPI women have been left waiting.
“Today’s action shows that it does not matter who is in government – justice must be delivered and WASPI women are not going away.”
Sir Ed Davey MP, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: “The Liberal Democrats have long supported fair and fast compensation for WASPI women, and we will continue to advocate for the millions of women across the country awaiting justice.
“Ministers must urgently implement the findings of the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s report without further delay.”
Stephen Flynn MP, Westminster leader of the Scottish National Party, said: “The Tory government let WASPI campaigners down for years and whilst in opposition, Labour politicians backed the WASPI campaign with promise after promise of delivering justice – many held the genuine belief that a new Labour government would finally mean change – instead those women have been betrayed all over again by Labour.
“WASPI women deserve so much better – they deserve fair and fast compensation. The SNP will keep to our principled position and concrete commitment in support of the WASPI women and we will continue to hold Westminster governments to account until these women get the justice they deserve.”
Carla Denyer MP, co-leader of the Green Party, said: “The Greens stand firmly behind the millions of 1950s-born women who have suffered injustice and must be urgently compensated.
“The previous government kicked the can down the road, and now the Labour Party must act. With tens of thousands of pensioners struggling to make ends meet, ministers must urgently set out their plans to compensate those affected.”
The letter to the Chancellor and Work and Pensions Secretary has been signed by:
- Sir Ed Davey MP, Leader, Liberal Democrats
- Stephen Flynn MP, Westminster Leader, Scottish National Party
- Liz Saville Roberts MP, Westminster Leader, Plaid Cymru
- Gavin Robinson MP, Leader, Democratic Unionist Party
- Adrian Ramsay MP and Carla Denyer MP, Co-leaders, Green Party of England and Wales
- Sorcha Eastwood MP, Westminster Spokesperson, Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
- Robin Swann MP, Westminster Spokesperson, Ulster Unionist Party