The WASPI women’s compensation bid was rejected again following a government review, according to political news.
The government has reaffirmed its rejection of the women’s campaign, which asserted they owe billions due to the state pension age change.
Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) – The campaign has lobbied extensively after claiming they were not given enough warning to raise the state pension age for women to the same level as men.
The government rejected this claim in December 2024 and announced a review in November last year, during which it would consider new evidence.
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The campaigners’ argument focuses on the claim that the change to the pension age was made too early, leaving some women financially unprepared to deal with the number of years before they would be able to claim their state pension.
In 2024, the government stated that women would not receive compensation because most were aware of the upcoming changes before the review was announced at the end of 2025.
This review was based on a specific claim about how the decision was communicated.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said in the House of Commons on Thursday that following the review, “the Government has reached the same conclusion on compensation…as announced in December 2024.”
He said, “There are legitimate and honest views about whether it was wise to raise the state pension age, in particular, whether the decision by the Coalition Government in 2011 to accelerate equalisation and raise the age to 66 was the right one.”
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Mr McFadden clarified that the review focused on the communication of changes to the state pension age, rather than the formulation of the policy.
“We accept that we could have sent individual letters about the change to the state pension age earlier,” the minister told MPs.
“I want to apologise again on behalf of the government for the delay in sending those letters [from former work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall].
“And I’m sorry those letters weren’t sent sooner.
“We also agree with the findings of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.” The Ombudsman said the delay caused no direct financial loss to the women.”
Campaigners are considering legal action
WASPI president Angela Madden said, “This is an outrageous political choice made by a small group of very powerful people who have decided that the harm and injustice caused to millions of ordinary women does not matter.
The Parliamentary Ombudsman asserts that one should not use economic circumstances as a justification for denying compensation.
The government has magically found billions of dollars to finance policies that were not in their election manifesto, proving that when ministers consider something a priority, money can be readily available.
“WASPI is taking legal advice, and all options are on the table. We will pursue every avenue in Parliament and the courts to secure the justice that has been so shamefully denied.
The change in state pension age affected about 3.6 million women.
Previously, the government estimated that compensating them could cost £10.5 billion.
The change affected women born between April 1951 and 1960.
The changes were first announced under the 1995 Pensions Act, with the aim of equalising male and female pensions by 2020.
The issue concerns the way changes to the State Pension age were communicated. The Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign argues that nearly 3.8 million women born in the 1950s were not given adequate notice when their pension age was raised from 60 to 66. Many say the delay led to financial hardship, with no time to adjust retirement plans.
