Waspi women say Government has agreed to reconsider compensation ‘within 12 weeks’
Campaigners for women affected by the pension age change said the government had agreed a “swift and comprehensive” reassessment of whether women should be compensated.
This means a planned hearing scheduled for Wednesday into concerns from the group Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) will no longer take place.
The hearing was to decide whether the judicial review trial, scheduled for December 9 and 10, should proceed.
The women’s group said they were impressed with the way changes to the state pension age were communicated and said the government deal meant these court dates had been cancelled.
The group said ministers had committed to using “best efforts” to reassess potential compensation within 12 weeks, or by February 24, and pay more than half of Waspi’s legal costs.
Ministers said last month the government would reconsider its decision not to compensate affected women.
A report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) last year suggested compensation ranging from £1,000 to £2,950 for each of those affected could be appropriate.
But in December 2024 the Government said a blanket compensation scheme that could cost taxpayers up to £10.5bn could not be justified, despite accepting the ombudsman’s finding of mismanagement and apologizing in writing to women born in the 1950s for the delay.
But recent court proceedings led to the rediscovery of the Department for Work and Pensions’ 2007 assessment and for officials to stop sending out automatic pension forecast letters.
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The group argued that a lack of adequate information leads women to plan their finances based on misconceptions, which forces them to work longer hours or face financial difficulties.
They said a judicial review would not take place while the government reconsidered the compensation decision, but could restart the process at a later date.
Waspi chief executive Angela Madden said: “Wasser once again stood her ground and once again, almost before the court, the government backed down, this time accepting last year’s judgment that the gross injustice suffered by Waspi women does not stand up to scrutiny.
“Today’s agreement on a rapid and comprehensive reassessment is welcome.
“But the government should have no doubt that it is prepared to return to court if Waspi does not do the right thing again.”
