DWP boss gives update on State Pension compensation for WASPI women

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Mel Stride MP, has offered an update on the matter of State Pension compensation for WASPI women (Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign).

Stride, who will communicate any new developments to Parliament "when there is something to say" concerning the prospect of recompense for the 1950s-born women impacted by the shift in State Pension age, may raise even more questions.

These words come at a time when opinions were swayed by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's report (PHSO), put forth on March 21, which highlighted that settlements ought to be dealt. But when Stride was featured on Good Morning Britain (GMB) on Monday, April 8, confronting Ed Balls, ex-politician and now presenter, he remained tight-lipped about timelines or potential dates regarding how the government is planning to move ahead for WASPI women.

In the PHSO report, it was strongly suggested for Parliament to step in and "act swiftly" to create a set scheme for compensations. The Ombudsman's findings indicate that each affected woman can potentially receive reparation falling between £1,000 and £2,950, classified as level four on their remedy scale.

• READ MORE: The return of steelmaking to Teesside is granted planning approval'

• READ MORE: Further steps being taken by council to reduce weed killer use after campaign, but no outright ban

Ed Balls questioned the DWP chief by asking: "Are you going to tell the WASPI women whether they'll get their compensation? When will that happen? Will it be next week? "

In a recent discussion, Mr Stride clarified his position: "What I've said Ed, and I've said this on the floor of the House (House of Commons) is that there will be no undue delay in us coming forward, but I do want to have sufficient time, and there are very strong feelings about this on all sides of the argument incidentally as to whether compensation should be paid or not and I do want to make sure that we get that judgmental call right."

He further added, "The Ombudsman of course has also invited Parliament to be part of that process, but we will do this as quickly as we can."

During an intense exchange with Ed Balls, the former Shadow Chancellor highlighted the ongoing distress among postmasters and postmistresses due to the Horizon scandal, as well as those impacted by the contaminated blood scandal. Balls pressed for clarity: "The WASPI women will think they've been waiting quite a long time and I just wondered will it be in April?"

Stride responded without committing to a specific date: "I've not yet tied down, for the reasons I've given, to a specific moment in time but just to reassure as I did to the House of Commons at the earliest possible opportunity, we will look at this very carefully."

Despite the GMB presenter's efforts to secure a commitment for an announcement before the next General Election, the DWP chief emphasised the need for careful consideration, stating, "proper time is needed to consider a very complex report". The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) concluded a six-year probe, finding that women born in the 1950s hit by last-minute State Pension age changes deserve compensation.

In a report last month, the Ombudsman called on Parliament to work out how to compensate those wronged, stating: "We think this will provide the quickest route to remedy for those who have suffered injustice because of DWP's maladministration."

Moreover, the Ombudsman has said the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) should say sorry and admit its mistakes while also compensating those affected. Despite this, the Ombudsman has voiced frustration as the DWP has not acknowledged its failings or compensated those affected.

It was found that women born in the 1950s were among those potentially severely impacted.

WASPI's Open Letter Appeal

An impressive total of over 221,000 people have signed an open letter started by Angela Madden, the WASPI campaign chair. The letter strongly calls on Conservative MP Penny Mordaunt, the Leader of the House of Commons, to urgently arrange a debate and vote in Parliament on compensating millions of women affected by the State Pension age changes.

The letter sent to MP Penny Mordaunt contained the words: "Dear Penny Mordaunt, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman has confirmed that WASPI women are due compensation. But the Department of Work and Pensions refuses to comply."

"The All-Party Parliamentary Group on this issue - which is backed by hundreds of MPs across party lines - has long backed substantial compensation. The Commons must urgently have the opportunity to debate and vote on their proposals, and any others that MPs wish to bring forward."

"After all, with 3.5m affected - and one dying every 13 minutes -everyone knows somebody who has been affected by the DWP's incompetence and neglect of 1950s-born women."

Full disclosure of the WASPI letter can be found on Change.org here.

For breaking news in your area direct to your inbox every day, go here to sign up to our free newsletter