WASPI hopes renewed as key support 'will hold ministers to account' | Personal Finance

WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) campaigners are hoping for fresh support from a newly formed committee in Parliament as they continue their calls for compensation. The Work and Pensions Committee, formed under the new Labor government, will be chaired by Debbie Abrahams.

The previous committee supported WASPI compensation when Ms Abrahams was also a member, and urged the submission of payout plans. WASPI campaigners are urging the government to provide compensation to the 1950s-born generation of women affected by the crisis. state pension age for women increased from 60 to 65.

Affected women were not properly informed of the change by the DWPwhich meant that many had their retirement plans thrown into chaos.

WASPI campaign chair Angela Madden said the campaign team met with Ms Abrahams on October 21. Ms Madden said: “She is keen to continue the conversation with the department. They will hold the minister accountable.

“They will be organizing a monitoring session soon, so it will be very interesting to know when that is and come along and see the outcome.”

Another top minister backing the WASPI cause in the new government is Sir Stephen Timms, who was also a member of the previous Work and Pensions Committee.

He previously said: ‘The debate over the impact of the DWP’s failure to communicate increases in the state pension age for women has gone on for too long and it is time for the Government to take action to solve the problem.

“There is no perfect solution, but there appears to be broad support for a rules-based compensation system with a degree of flexibility for cases where women have suffered direct financial loss.”

The Parliamentary and Healthcare Ombudsman published a report in March recommending payouts of between £1,000 and £2,950. But campaigners hope to achieve more with some MPs before backing the case calling for payments of £10,000 or more.

Ms Madden has also warned that many WASPI pensioners will struggle to make ends meet this winter. She said: ‘Things are more expensive now because they have gone up throughout the year, not just one or two months at the end. So with the winter fuel payment gone and the not very good increase in our state pensions, we will be pretty much at a standstill. .”

The suitability for the Winter fuel paymentworth £200 or £300 this year, recently changed so that it is only available to pensioners who also receive means-tested benefits such as Pension Credit.