'It feels like a decision that would make the likes of Boris Johnson and Donald Trump blush' says Chesterfield campaigner - compensation blow for WASPI women
A national campaign chief living in Derbyshire has hit out at the Government for denying compensation to women who lost thousands of pounds when the age for claiming state pension was increased.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has ruled out any financial payouts despite the ombudsman recommending that compensation of between £1,000 and £2,950 be paid to each woman affected.
More than 3.6 million women received as little as 12 months’ notice of a six-year hike to their State Pension age, plunging their retirement plans and personal finances into disarray. The Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) group has campaigned for at least £10,000 compensation for each of them.
Angela Madden, who chairs WASPI, said: “The Government has today made an unprecedented political choice to ignore the clear recommendations of an independent watchdog which ordered ministers urgently to compensate WASPI women nine months ago.
“This is a bizarre and totally unjustified move which will leave everyone asking what the point of an ombudsman is if ministers can simply ignore their decisions. It feels like a decision that would make the likes of Boris Johnson and Donald Trump blush.”
The minister apologised for the 28-month delay in informing women of the changes to their state pension age eligibility. She claimed that sending letters earlier would not have made a difference to their ability to make retirement choices.
She also said that there was no evidence of ‘direct financial loss’ arising from the government’s decision. "Given the vast majority of women knew the state pension age was increasing, the government does not believe paying a flat rate to all women at a cost of up to £10.5bn would be fair or proportionate to taxpayers," she said.
The Government will develop an action plan to fix issues highlighted in the ombudsman’s report. The minister said that pension communications in the future would use the most up to date methods.
Ms Madden, who lives near Chesterfield, said: “The idea that an ‘action plan’ to avoid such mistakes in future should be the result of a six-year ombudsman’s investigation is an insult both to the women and to the PHSO process.
“An overwhelming majority of MPs back WASPI’s calls for fair compensation and all options remain on the table. Parliament must now seek an alternative mechanism to force this issue on to the order paper so justice can be done.”