WASPI woman slams DWP for just two years’ notice of six-year state pension age rise | Personal Finance | Finance
Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaigns against what it believes are unfair changes to the state pension age. The group argues some 3.8 million women born in the 1950s were adversely impacted by the decision to raise their state pension age from 60 to bring it in line with men.
WASPI does not dispute an increase to the state pension age for women, but believes women were not provided with ample notice and have faced economic and social consequences as a result.
Angela Madden, chair and financial director of WASPI claimed to Express.co.uk that more than 200,000 women have died during the campaign as they wait for the issue to be resolved.
She said: “In fact, the statistics say one WASPI woman is dying every 30 minutes. That is incredibly sobering.
“Sadly, we all know of WASPI women who have passed away waiting for this to be rectified.
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“We feel that in their memory, we have to fight and work as hard as we can to get these women, as well as those who are still alive, the justice they deserve.”
Ms Madden argues the “injustice” for 1950s-born women started when they first received letters from the DWP, informing them their state pension age would change.
She stated: “I received my letter on March 12, 2012, and I was due to retire on June 14, 2014. So I had just over two years’ notice to an almost six year hike of my state pension age. I’d worked for over 40 years full-time, but it takes a lot longer than two years to prepare for that kind of a shock.”
Ms Madden explained when she started work, she received correspondence letting her know she would receive her state pension at 60.
In addition, on her pension benefits statement, she said the document outlined the money she would receive from her workplace was “in addition to a state pension paid at 60”.
She continued: “I had a letter in 2005 from the DWP about stakeholder pensions, but it did say how much state pension I would be getting, for example.
“But there was no mention whatsoever in that letter that I would be getting my state pension in 2020, rather than 2014, or on a different day from my 60th birthday.
“So, there was lots of evidence that made me feel quite comfortable I was knowledgable about my state pension age.”
WASPI is now fundraising to fund a High Court judicial review against the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman (PHSO).
In 2021, the PHSO found the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was “inadequate” in its communication of female state pension age changes, but the investigation is still ongoing.
However, WASPI has taken issue with the way in which the case is progressing, stating there are “inconsistencies” in the investigation.
After reaching its first target of £100,000, the group is progressing towards a £150,000 appeal via its Crowdjustice page.
Ms Madden explained: “For us, the ideal outcome is that the Ombudsman will perhaps rethink his decision, and consider this more carefully.
“Does he want to publish a report that is going to be challenged in court, and may fall? Or is he confident in what he has said? Even though experienced barristers have told us differently.
“Really, the ball is in the Ombudsman’s court, and we are hoping he will be able to reconsider when he sees all of the evidence we are presenting.
“But he’s had pages of evidence from us already, so has he given weight to this? That’s for him to decide. It is unfortunate we have to take this step. But we believe the second report is so flawed, we just simply can’t let it go forward.”
WASPI has now been campaigning for seven years, after being founded in 2015.
Ms Madden explained the fight for “justice” has been a long one, but the campaigners continue to keep their eye on the future, and hope the matter can be settled.
She said: “Some argue this is a waste of our time. But a lot of women would say it’s a waste of our time if we don’t make sure the Ombudsman gets this right.
“We’ve been campaigning for seven years, and trying to follow the processes. If we don’t get it right in the end, we will have wasted our time. But it really wouldn’t be for want of trying to get it done properly.”
A PHSO spokesperson recently told Express.co.uk they are considering what action the DWP should have taken, to put right the injustice found.
The spokesperson said: “We have shared provisional views with complainants, their MPs and DWP. Once we have considered further evidence we will publish a full report on our findings.”
A DWP spokesperson added: “The Government decided over 25 years ago that it was going to make the state pension age the same for men and women as a long-overdue move towards gender equality. Both the High Court and Court of Appeal have supported the actions of the DWP, under successive governments dating back to 1995, and the Supreme Court refused the claimants permission to appeal.”
