The number of women impacted by the UK Government’s refusal to offer compensation over long-planned changed to the state pension is more than 330,000, official figures show.
All parties in Scotland have said some form of pay-out should be given to those hit by the decision to raise the women’s UK pension age in line with men.
The process was started by the Conservatives in 1995 and was sped up by David Cameron’s Tory Government in the 2010s. Despite the changes being well-publicised at the time, many people have claimed they were unaware their pension would no longer be paid out from age 60.
The Labour Government at Westminster has insisted the estimated £10 billion price tag for compensation is simply unaffordable.
Figures released by the House of Commons Library suggest there are 331,780 so-called Waspi (Women Against State Pension Inequality) women north of the border.
The Scottish Lib Dems, which requested the data, described the figure as “shocking”. It pledged to “fight for Waspi women” following the UK Government’s decision not to compensate them.
Ahead of a debate at Holyrood on the issue, the party called on UK ministers to change their minds. The Scottish Government will also call for Waspi women to be compensated during the debate on Tuesday.
About 3.6 million women in the UK were affected by the change, first announced in the 1990s, to bring their retirement age in line with men.
This was later accelerated under the Tory-Liberal Democrat coalition government more than a decade ago.
However, there was a 28-month delay in writing to inform them of the changes.
Campaigners, led by the Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) group, have claimed women suffered financial hardship and had to rethink retirement plans.
A report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) last year recommended the Government pay compensation to women as a result of the delay in them being informed of the changes.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has rejected that recommendation, saying the Government cannot afford the £10.5 billion it would cost to fund it.
Beatrice Wishart said women have been “betrayed” by ministers.
The Shetland MSP said: “These shocking figures show that hundreds of thousands of people in Scotland have been betrayed by the UK Government’s decision to not compensate Waspi women.
“The UK Government has turned its back on millions of women who were wronged through no fault of their own, ignoring the independent Ombudsman’s recommendations, and that is, frankly, disgraceful.
“For years, Liberal Democrats have pushed the government to fairly compensate Waspi women in line with the Ombudsman’s recommendations.
“The Conservatives left our economy in a shambles but pensioners shouldn’t be asked to pay the price. The Liberal Democrats will fight for Waspi women.
“The UK Government must urgently change course and rethink this shameful decision.”
The Scottish Government urged the UK Government to listen to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s recommendations and compensate WASPI women.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This issue has affected 336,000 women in Scotland who deserve to be fairly compensated for the mistakes of the UK Government.
“It is vital that the UK Government and DWP takes responsibility for these failings and this includes delivering a full compensation package at the earliest possible time.
“I call on the UK Government to listen to the Waspi women’s call for comprehensive compensation, taking into account the financial hardship suffered, coupled with the UK having one of the worst gender pension gaps in the OECD.”
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