I was fortunate to be old enough to take my State Retirement Pension at the age of 60.
Three years later, I encountered health problems that would have made it difficult for me to continue working. Had I been a few years younger, I would have been in a parlous financial position.
This was what happened to the Waspi (Women Against the State Pension Increase) when the retirement age for women was increased from 60 to 65 from April 2010 to November 2018 and increased to 66 for men and women in October 2020. It will be brought forward to 67 for men and women between 2026 and 2028.
About 3.6 million women born in the 1950s need compensation for the money they lost when the pension age was raised.
It is estimated the Government will have saved £181 billion. The Waspis argued the changes were discriminatory against women, but judges disagreed. They said: “There was no direct discrimination on the grounds of age or sex, or sex and age combined.
"This legislation does not treat women less favourably than men in law, rather it equalises a historic asymmetry between men and women and thereby corrects historic discrimination against men."
The claimants also argued that they had not had sufficient notice of the changes and that this was contrary to the requirements of public law. This was rejected by the judges.
The final report of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman in March 2024 stated, “To date the DWP has not acknowledged its failings nor put things right for those women affected.”
At present, the DWP is considering the matter of compensation for women born in the 1950s. It is likely they would get between £1,000 and £2,950, but Waspi campaigners want £10,000. Compensation could cost between £3.5 and £10.5 billion.
In an election year, where the votes of Waspi women are likely to be decisive in 170 parliamentary seats, it will be interesting to see if this compensation is forthcoming. It is certainly a miscarriage of justice if they do not.
Hornsey Pensioners Action Group support Waspi's campaign for compensation.
- Sarah Harris is a member of Hornsey Pensioners Action Group (hornseypensionersactiongroup.co.uk)
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