An estimated 3.8 million women across the UK missed out on State Pension payments after increases to the official age of retirement by successive governments
WASPI women (Women Against State Pension Inequality) nationwide claim they have been “totally abandoned” by the UK Government as they commemorate a decade of campaigning for State Pension age compensation. Around 3.8 million women born in the 1950s throughout the UK were left without State Pension payments following retirement age increases by successive governments.
A quick survey of over 5,000 WASPI women revealed plummeting support for major political parties after the UK Government’s December 2024 decision against establishing a State Pension age compensation scheme.
Overwhelming numbers of WASPI women (88%) claimed their votes have been ‘taken for granted’ by the Labour Party, despite supportive compensation promises from hundreds of MPs before last year’s general election.
Over four-fifths (80%) of impacted women stated that both Labour and Conservative parties don’t care about WASPI women, whilst Reform UK performs even more poorly at 85 per cent, reports the Daily Record.
When questioned about voting intentions if a general election were held tomorrow, two-in-five (38%) of participants indicated they are either uncertain or won’t bother casting their ballot.
Nevertheless, despite widespread disappointment with the country’s political leadership, the study demonstrates that affected women remain more resolute than ever to shape political discourse.
Over half (51%) of WASPI women have expressed a heightened motivation to vote in the upcoming election, with a similar number (47%) stating they’ve become more politically active following the UK Government’s refusal to pay compensation.
This revelation comes as WASPI campaigners celebrate a decade of activism, a period that has seen six Prime Ministers and nine Pensions Ministers come and go. As MPs prepare to return to Westminster on 1st September, campaigners are gearing up for further action ahead of a crucial Budget set to be delivered by Rachel Reeves this Autumn.
Angela Madden, Chair of Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), stated: “It is no surprise that WASPI women feel totally abandoned by those who once promised to right this historic injustice. After 10 years of campaigning, this generation of women are more determined than ever to secure the justice we are due.
“Despite the hopes of some, we are not going away. We know hundreds of MPs across the political parties back our calls for fair compensation, as do an overwhelming majority of the public. Ministers should heed the calls of many of their own MPs and get around the table with WASPI women, or face being forced to defend the indefensible in court later this year.”
UK Government lawyers are also expected to appear before High Court judges later this year, after WASPI campaigners secured a judicial review into the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) State Pension age compensation decision.
If successful, the case could force ministers to rethink their response to the final report from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), published in March 2024. The PHSO suggested that compensation amounts between £1,000 and £2,950 might be suitable for those affected by changes to the State Pension age.
However, in December 2024, the UK Government stated that while it acknowledged the Ombudsman’s finding of maladministration and apologised for the delay in contacting women born in the 1950s, a blanket compensation scheme, which could cost taxpayers as much as £10.5 billion, cannot be justified.