Labour has been slammed for issuing pensioners a devastating double blow as it strips winter fuel payments and denies WASPI women their compensation.
This is expected to cost the affected women a staggering £3,150, which accounts for the £200 scrapped winter fuel payment and the £2,950 pensions payout they have been denied.
Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall declared today that the government will reject payment claims from most of the 3.6 million women born in the 1950s who were not adequately notified about the increase in the state pension age.
The controversial decision, which has sparked anger from various political groups, followed closely on the heels of Labour’s axing of winter fuel payments for up to 10 million pensioners.
The parliamentary ombudsman recommended in March compensation of between £1,000 and £2,950 to each of those affected. But the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign had called for payments of at least £10,000 each.
The government has acknowledged the ombudsman’s finding of maladministration and has issued an apology for the 28-month delay in notifying women born in the 1950s.
However, it argues that evidence indicates only a quarter of people recall receiving and reading unexpected letters, and most women born in the 1950s were aware of the changes to the state pension age.
The government has dismissed the idea of a blanket compensation scheme, which could cost up to £10.5 billion, as unjustifiable.
It also stated that devising a tailored compensation scheme that considers individual circumstances and offers fairness, value for money, and feasibility is not possible.
In 2022, Keir Starmer supported “fair and fast” compensation for the WASPI women, and in 2019, Angela Rayner said a Labour government “will compensate” them, leaving people angered that they’ve gone back on their promises.
Chair of the WASPI group, Angela Madden, voiced her outrage at the government’s decision ignore the ombudsman’s report, calling it “bizarre and totally injust”.
She said: “The government has today made an unprecedented political choice to ignore the clear recommendations of an independent watchdog.
“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.”
