Women affected by changes to the state pension age, known as WASPI women, have been left feeling “hopeful” despite the fact that the Autumn Budget failed to address their compensation claims.
Despite previous acknowledgements of historic injustice, Chancellor Rachel Reeves did not mention the issue in her statement.
She did however offer compensation to those affected in the Post Office scandal and the Infected Blood scandal.
Angela Madden, chair of Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), expressed frustration to GB News, saying: “We are another historic injustice.”
Angela Madden is the Chair of the WASPI women
GB News
She said: “Both Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves, in opposition, accepted that we had suffered injustice historically and it needed to be resolved.
“We met with Emma Reynolds. She says she has no plans to kick the can down the road, but she needs to look into the ombudsman’s report, evidence from the Work and Pensions Committee.”
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“We had a meeting with her which was very cordial. She was listening. This is a new Government.
“They’ve been in place since July. It was heartening today to hear that they had set aside money for the infected blood injustice and for the post office injustice, and we’re hoping that we are the next one.
The omission comes as a blow to the estimated 3.6 million women affected by the state pension age increase, who have been campaigning for compensation following a ruling by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
The Chair of the campaign explained: “We suffered injustice because the Department of Work and Pensions didn’t tell us about the changes to our own state pension ages.
WASPI women protested outside Westminster this afternoonn
PA
“Apparently they put a few adverts in papers, things like that, but they never told any of the women the effect it was having on them until those women were about a year or two away from the retirement they thought they were going to have.
“The Ombudsman has recommended compensation. And we want that compensation to be paid as quickly as possible.”
In March, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman found the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) guilty of maladministration for failing to properly communicate the changes.
Angela Madden said that they are remaining hopeful
GB News
The ombudsman recommended compensation payouts ranging from £1,000 to £2,950 for affected women.
However, the final decision on compensation rests with the government, leaving WASPI women in a state of uncertainty.
Despite these recommendations, the government has yet to provide an official response or announce a compensation scheme.