100 MPs have joined forces to demand compensation for WASPI women ahead of a crucial update from ministers promised next month.
The announcement comes amid a High Court legal challenge between Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaigners and senior government lawyers, which was due to begin on 9th December. However, the government says it has now withdrawn from the process to reconsider new evidence which has emerged from 2007. Ministers agreed to reconsider all evidence relating to the case by Monday 2nd March.
The WASPI campaign centres around the pension age of women born between 1954 and 1960, who were affected by the 1995 Pensions Act which increased women's state pension age from 60 to 66, in line with men.
Ministers accepted wrongdoing in December 2024 but refused to pay any compensation to the 3.5 million affected women, despite the Parliamentary Ombudsman recommending payouts of between £1,000 and £2,950.
The letter, signed by 100 MPs across 10 different parties, calls on the Work and Pensions Secretary to “reach the right decision” and to set out plans to compensate affected women as quickly as possible.
The signatories say 1950s-born women have “suffered a clear injustice” after being denied the opportunity make alternative plans for their retirement.
Senior Labour and Conservative figures joined forces with dozens of Liberal Democrat MPs as part of the fresh demands, alongside the DUP, Greens and the SNP.
Together, they argue ministers should review the case again, as they did with Winter Fuel Payments, Personal Independence Payments and inheritance tax relief on agricultural properties.
WASPI says more than 50,000 people have written to their MPs so far in support of compensation in just two weeks, equating to one letter being sent every 30 seconds.
Last week, Kemi Badenoch used her weekly appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions to highligjt Keir Starmer's his U-turn in support for WASPI women. Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has also criticised Labour’s stance, calling for affected women to be compensated.
Angela Madden, chair of Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), said: “It’s high time that ministers stopped stalling and started compensating WASPI women.
“The strength of support across the country is palpable, evidenced by one letter being sent every 30 seconds by people from all walks of life to their MPs.
“We have been overwhelmed by growing levels of support in Parliament too. The next few weeks are crucial for Labour ministers to demonstrate they hear the voices of their backbenchers and hundreds across Parliament loud and clear.”
Steve Darling MP, Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions Spokesperson and MP for Torbay, said: “The Government cannot keep kicking this injustice into the long grass. WASPI women did everything right, yet they were denied proper notice and the chance to plan for their retirement.
“The Parliamentary Ombudsman has been clear, the public are clear, and now MPs from across the political spectrum are clear: compensation must happen.
“Ministers need to stop hiding behind reviews and start delivering justice for the 1950s-born women who have waited far too long for fairness."
