Motherwell and Wishaw’s MSP has hit out at the UK Labour Government as figures reveal that almost 20,000 North Lanarkshire women may have lost out on pension payments.
The SNP’s Clare Adamson labelled Labour’s refusal to keep its promise to WASPI (Women against State Pension inequality) women a “betrayal”.
Her words came as figures from SPICe (Scottish Parliament Information Centre) revealed that a total of 19,840 women in North Lanarkshire may not have received money they could have.
As a result of the DWP’s failure to inform them of changes to the state pension age, it is estimated that a total of 355,910 women across Scotland did not receive money they were entitled to.
Over 3.5 million women who were born in the 1950s were affected by the state pension age change brought in by the Tories in 1995 while they were in government.
It meant the age of entitlement for women would gradually increase between 2010 and 2020, from 60 to 65 years old putting it in line with the entitlement age for men.
However, in 2010 the decision was made to speed up the process and it was brought forward by two years to 2018.
The Labour Government announced in December that it would ignore the recommendation from the UK Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) to deliver compensation for WASPI Women.
Labour’s Work & Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall told the UK Parliament: “The Government does not believe paying a flat rate to all women at a cost of up to £10.5 billion would be fair or proportionate to taxpayers.”
Nine months earlier, the PHSO had recommended compensation of between £1,000 and £2,950 to those affected.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves added: “I understand that women affected by the changes to the state pension age feel disappointed by this decision, but we looked in full at the ombudsman recommendations and they said that around 90 per cent of women did know that these changes were coming.”
The SNP were set to lead a Holyrood debate this week calling for compensation for WASPI women.
Ahead of that the Wishaw MSP accused the UK Government of turning their back son the WASPI women since they took office, and reneging on its promise to compensate them.
Clare Adamson MSP said: “Not content with cutting funding for universal winter fuel payments, Labour has betrayed the same women it used to campaign alongside.
“They promised change. But the change we have seen is broken promises.
“As many as 19,840 women across North Lanarkshire have lost out because of UK government and DWP failures.
“WASPI campaigners have rallied against this injustice for years. Labour MPs and MSPs stood with them in opposition when it was the Tories calling the shots.
“But as soon as they get into power, and can actually affect change, Labour break their promises and turn their backs on the WASPI women.
“The SNP will continue to support the WASPI Women and campaign for the compensation they deserve.”
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