State Pension Inequality for Women in the UK: Campaigns Rejected by the Labor

State Pension Inequality for Women in the UK led to the formation of campaigns. The Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) campaign aims to object to the Government’s decision. The Government raised the pension age of women to 68.

The Waspi campaign had called for payments of at least £10,000 each. However, the Government rejected their request for compensation. Labour believes financial compensation to Waspi women is unfair to the taxpayers. Campaigners have reacted with fury to what they call the Government’s “unjustified” rejection of compensation for women affected by changes to the state pension age.

Changes in Pension Age: State Pension Inequality for Women in the UK

The modern state pension was introduced in 1948. Men who had made enough National Insurance (NI) contributions received their state pension at 65 and women at 60. However, in 1995, the then-Conservative Government introduced a timetable to make the age at which men and women start getting state pensions the same. State pension inequality for women in the UK has passed a history.

The state pension age for women would gradually rise to 65 between 2010 and 2020. In 2010, the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government decided to speed up the changes to reduce the overall cost of the state pension. The Pension Act 2011 brought forward the qualifying age of 65 for women to 2018. In 2020, the state pension age for both men and women increased to 66. The state pension age will rise again to 67 between 2026 and 2028 and 68 between 2044 and 2046.

Campaign of Fury  Waspi Women: State Pension Inequality for Women in the UK

Campaigners have reacted with fury to the Government’s “unjustified” rejection of compensation for women affected by changes to the state pension age. They say 3.6 million women born in the 1950s were not adequately informed of the rise in the state pension age to align them with men.

The Government accepts that changes affecting women born in the 1950s weren’t communicated quickly enough. However, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall rejected a recommendation to pay them up to £2,950 each. The Government did not accept to relieve the State pension inequality for Women in the UK by financial compensation.

Campaign of Fury Waspi Women: Asking for Compensation

The Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) campaign described the Government’s decision as an “insult.” The Government has made an unprecedented political choice to ignore the clear recommendations of an independent watchdog,” said Angela Madden, who chairs the campaign group.

“This is a bizarre and unjustified move which will leave everyone asking what the point of an ombudsman is if ministers can simply ignore their decisions.” The Waspi campaign had called for payments of at least £10,000 each.

Labor Does Not Pay the Compensation:

However, Kendall said there was evidence of “considerable awareness” of the changes to the pension age. In December 2024, the Government said it had accepted the Ombudsman’s finding of maladministration. It apologized for a delay in writing to 1950s-born women; there is no justification for a blanket compensation scheme, which could cost taxpayers up to £10.5 billion.

She also said there was no evidence of “direct financial loss” from the Government’s decision. Moreover, Labour did not believe “paying a flat rate to all women at a cost of up to £10.5bn would be fair or proportionate to taxpayers”.

Two Different Reactions of the Labor to Wapsi Women

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he understood the Waspi women’s concerns. However, he had to consider whether it was right “to impose a further burden on the taxpayer.”

However, Jeremy Corbyn told the BBC that the Government does not have to pay the money in a year but over “quite a long period. These Waspi women are taxpayers also. Moreover, they are people who have made an enormous contribution to our lives and society,” he said.

Labor’s Manifesto is Just a Cover: Labor Does not Act.

Sir Keir Starmer, as Labour leader, signed a pledge in 2022 that called for “fair and fast compensation” for Waspi women. In 2022, there was a photograph of Sir Keir with a Waspi pledge sign. The sign said: “I support fair and fast compensation for 1950s women.” Labour’s 2019 manifesto also promised compensation for the affected women. However, the party rejected calls from the parliamentary Ombudsman to pay victims up to £2,950 each. They failed to communicate the reforms properly, costing £10.5 billion.

The shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately added: “It’s no surprise that Labour has broken their promises to Waspi women in opposition. Yet again, they said one thing just for the election and are now doing another. “They shouldn’t expect to get away with this hypocrisy. Instead of blaming their decisions on everyone else, for once, they should own the choice they’ve made.”

Labor Puts its Foot Down: No Compensation

“Let’s be clear: the decision to provide no compensation is the Government’s decision, and they need to own it. Keir Starmer said he didn’t think it was right for taxpayers to bear the compensation costs. “I do understand, of course, the concern of the Waspi women. Is it right to impose a further burden on the taxpayer or not?

Labor included fully compensating the Waspi women in its 2017 and 2019 manifestos. Corbyn, an independent MP, attacked the Government’sgovernment’s decision. “First, the Government cuts winter fuel. Now this? Whose side is the Government on?” he posted on social media

Deceiving Braitians: State Pension Inequality for Women in the UK

The WASPI debate in Westminster Hall left us in no doubt of the apparent concern of the MPs who spoke. That concern was not only because the Government has denied WASPI women justice. However, there was no attention to the direction of the Ombudsman. Sir John Hayes said, “I sincerely hope we will get a parliamentary vote on this issue. I will use every endeavor to ensure that we do. The WASPI women deserve better than the explanation we hear today. We’re not sure that there would be a justification for their case. Most of them did know. We can’t afford it even if their case is justified.” Frankly, neither of those arguments will wash.

I end with Winston Churchill because I can do no better. He said: “There is no worse mistake in public leadership than to hold out false hopes. The British people can face peril or misfortune with fortitude and buoyancy, but they bitterly resent the deception of Government”. This is deceit—nothing less, nothing more.