WASPI campaign urges all supporters to do one thing before September 1

The WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) campaign has urged all their supporters to pen an important letter to their MPs before September 1.

The group is pushing on in its battle for DWP compensation despite the Government saying at the end of last year there would be no payouts for the 1950s-born women represented by them and other campaign groups.

Their dispute revolves around the generation of women affected when their state pension age jumped up from 60 to 65 and then 66, to bring it in line with men.

They claim the DWP did not properly inform them of the change, with many unaware right up to the last minute of the change, ruining their retirement plans.

Many individual MPs back their cause and they were vindicated by a previous report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, which found there was maladminstration in how the DWP communicated the change, as letters should have been sent out sooner to inform the women.

The Ombudsman also recommended the women should get payouts ranging from £1,000 to £2,950. But the Labour Government announced at the end of 2024 that there would be no compensation, arguing most women did know of the change and that sending out letters sooner would have had little impact.

Now that Parliament is in recess for summer, WASPI campaign chair Angela Madden has urged anyone who backs their cause to write to their MP urging for action.

She said: "The general public are on our side. We're trying to get everyone to write to their MPs, not just WASPI women, to email their MPs on our behalf.

"If the MPs start to get hundreds of letters a week, especially while they're at home in their constituencies over the summer, maybe they'll think I better get on with this, because everyone is talking about it now."

The summer recess for the House of Commons this year runs from July 22 with MPs returning to Westminster on Monday, September 1.

The WASPI campaign has applied for a judicial review of the DWP's decision not to grant compensation, which the high court has agreed to take on.

A public fundraiser to help cover the legal costs of the WASPI campaign has reached £240,000 in support, with the campaigners setting a target of £270,000.

Ms Madden said: "We're very pleased with that. There was a little spurt of activity when we got the cost capping order agreed."

The costs capping order limits the amount that either side has to pay to cover the costs of the winning side. Even if WASPI is victorious at the high court, this will merely rule out the DWP's decision, but this does not guarantee they will get compensation.

A DWP spokesperson said previously: "We do not comment on live litigation. We accept the Ombudsman's finding of maladministration and have apologised for there being a 28-month delay in writing to 1950s-born women.

"However, we do not agree with the Ombudsman's approach to injustice or remedy and that is why we have decided not to pay compensation."