DWP issues update to WASPI women as Government 'needs time'
There has been a fresh blow for WASPI women waiting for news of compensation
by Katie Elliott · ChronicleLive1950s-born women, already reeling from state pension age alterations, have been dealt a fresh blow in their quest for compensation.
During a House of Commons debate on Monday, Emma Reynolds, the Pensions Minister, conceded the Government requires "time to review" the "complex" conclusions from the final verdict of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), published on March 21.
Chris Webb, a Labour MP, implored Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall to "act urgently" in order to "bring this injustice to an end".
In her reply, the minister in charge underscored her prior discussions with the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) activists and lauded Ms Reynolds' interaction as "the first Minister to meet them in eight years".
Ms Kendall acknowledged: "It really is a serious report that requires serious consideration. We will do everything possible to get this issue resolved as soon as possible.", reports the Daily Record.
On top of that, Bedford's Labour MP, Mohammad Yasin, pressed the DWP for a definitive response timeline to the PHSO findings and clarification on reparations, aligning himself with the affected local women and highlighting the urgency to rectify the situation for WASPI campaigners, many of whom are scarcely getting by financially.
Putting forth the question, Mr Yasin asked: "Will the Minister tell them today when the Government will respond to the report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, which recommended a compensation scheme? ".
The Pensions Minister responded to questioning, as recorded by the Daily Record: "The Ombudsman's report is a serious report that took six years to complete and deserves serious consideration. We are carefully reviewing the details of that complex report and will come to a conclusion in the round."
Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay MP pressed for clarity during parliamentary debates, highlighting the unresolved issues faced by WASPI women and demanded a timeline: "Will the Minister please set out the timescale by which she will respond to the report and the action that will be taken? ".
In her response to the pressing enquiries, Ms Reynolds added: "The ombudsman took six years to look into what is a serious, significant and complex set of cases. We need time to look at that seriously, and we are doing precisely that."
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Sir Julian Lewis MP, seeking a solid commitment regarding compensation for the WASPI women, questioned the Minister: "May I ask for a statement in principle that the Government will eventually offer significant compensation to the WASPI women? ".
Amid the probing question on compensation, Ms Reynolds referenced the comprehensive investigation by the PHSO, stating: "We are looking into it very seriously, but I cannot make any announcements today."
The unresolved issue of suitable state pension age reimbursement remains a contentious one, with those affected voicing significant dissatisfaction. The Ombudsman has levelled 'maladministration' charges at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for failing to notify women about the increase in the state pension age from 60 to 65, and subsequently to 66.
A report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has unveiled that the DWP should have provided at least an additional 28 months notice regarding the changes to the pension age.
The PHSO's findings also draw attention to the fact that insufficient advance warning meant numerous women missed the opportunity to suitably modify their retirement strategies. Current figures from the Office for National Statistics indicate approximately 3.5 million women born in the 1950s have been adversely affected by the escalations in the state pension age.
Maintaining its stance, the PHSO asserts that "Parliament must urgently identify a mechanism for providing that appropriate remedy" and calls for compensation at Level Four of its framework, which would equate to an amount between £1,000 and £2,950.
In light of these developments, the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign is organising a rally in Parliament Square on Wednesday, 30 October, coinciding with the Labour Government's Autumn Budget release.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, is poised to deliver her maiden Budget before a House of Commons representing constituencies nationwide.
The protest, bearing the slogan 'WASPI can't wait - compensate', is planned to last from midday until 3 pm.