WASPI women urge new Labour Government to deliver State Pension compensation plan within first 100 days

The Chair of the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign is urging new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer not to “let down millions of 1950s-born women'' waiting for a compensation plan after changes were made to their State Pension age. Angela Madden urged the Labour Government not to ignore the landmark report published by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) in March which instructed the Conservative government to apologise and administer a compensation plan without delay.

The stalwart campaigner said: “Hundreds of candidates who actively support WASPI's calls for fair and fast compensation have been elected to this new Parliament. This includes over 70 Liberal Democrat MPs who have been steadfast in their commitment to 1950’s-born women and we look forward to working with them to achieve justice.

“With this definitive majority, Labour has been given a strong mandate for delivering change. It is time for them to make good on their MPs’ and candidates’ record of support to deliver a compensation scheme in the first 100 days of this Parliament.”

Ms Madden added: “Anything else would be to let down millions of 1950s-born women at the very first hurdle and ignoring the government's own independent watchdog would set the wrong tone for a government looking to make change. ”

WASPI is also urging an estimated 3.6m women not to be duped by online scammers after a spike in fake State Pension age compensation claim forms appeared online last month.

WASPI warned that multiple unofficial websites have emerged of late, claiming those impacted by short-notice State Pension age increases can claim up to £2,950, depending on their circumstances.

Campaigners said the websites, which appear to originate outside the UK, reportedly claim that women born in the 1950s can get payouts through submitting compensation forms. However, these websites are not connected to any compensation recommendations made by the PHSO’s final report.

The PHSO recommended compensation equivalent to Level 4 on its banding scale - between £1,000 and £2,950, which may lead some women to believe the scams are genuine as it’s the same figure quoted on the websites.

But these are fake and could potentially trick women into handing over personal or financial information.