Thousands of Waspi women who lost out in pension age rise must be compensated now, landmark report says

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Women who lost out in the state pension age rise must be compensated now, a landmark report has stated because it criticised the federal government for failing to tell them about modifications.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman has really helpful that the government pay these affected compensation because it concludes that the division for work and pensions (DWP) has “not acknowledged its failings nor put things right for those women affected.”

It comes after long-awaited report into how women lost out on cash resulting from will increase in their pension age was revealed.

It stated: “DWP has also failed to offer any apology or explanation for its failings and has indicated it will not compensate women affected by its failure.

It also added that DWP’s “handling of the changes” meant “some women lost opportunities to make informed decisions about their finances. It diminished their sense of personal autonomy and financial control.”

The publication of the report follows a long time of campaigning by women who say hundreds of thousands have lost out as a result of change and want compensation after their retirement plans had been harmed by the change.

Women born in the Nineteen Fifties had been advised they must wait longer for his or her state pension when modifications to the state pension age to equalise it throughout genders had been accelerated in 2010.

The ombudsman has been investigating the difficulty for 5 years with the primary stage, revealed in 2021, saying the Government was gradual in informing women how they might be affected by the change.

The subsequent half of the report may make suggestions on compensation.

PHSO Chief Executive Rebecca Hilsenrath, stated:

“The UK’s national Ombudsman has made a finding of failings by DWP in this case and has ruled that the women affected are owed compensation. DWP has clearly indicated that it will refuse to comply. This is unacceptable. The department must do the right thing and it must be held to account for failure to do so.

“Complainants should not have to wait and see whether DWP will take action to rectify its failings. Given the significant concerns we have that it will fail to act on our findings and given the need to make things right for the affected women as soon as possible, we have proactively asked parliament to intervene and hold the department to account.

“Parliament now needs to act swiftly, and make sure a compensation scheme is established. We think this will provide women with the quickest route to remedy.”

Waspi chairwoman Angela Madden advised the BBC: “It is now for each political party to put their money where their mouth is and support compensation of that order.

“Waspi women are watching and waiting to see whether politicians who have long supported the campaign will now deliver.”

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