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WASPI update as key milestone reached in battle for DWP compensation
Reach Daily Express | August 15, 2025 12:39 PM CST

The WASPI campaign (Women Against State Pension Inequality) has reached a key milestone in its battle to get DWP compensation.

The group is one of several campaign groups calling for compensation for the 1950s-born generation of women whose state pension age increased from 60 to 65 and then 66.

Their dispute centres on the fact many of the women did not know of the change until the last minute, which they blame the DWP for, claiming they were not properly informed of the policy change by the Government department.

WASPI campaigners have fought for years to make their case and pressure MPs to grant them compensation - and August 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of their campaign.

The campaigners said in an update: "Our campaigners know of long days and long journeys, detailed preparations, resilience and motivation. Planning, and lobbying, and hard work.

"We know that you appreciate that. Our social media over the next two weeks will feature pictures and brief biographies of many WASPI women and how they contribute to society alongside their campaigning."

The campaign group is inviting any WASPI-generation women to send in their stories and photos to show what their life is like and how they have been supporting the campaign. You can send in your stories and images to waspicomms@gmail.com.

The WASPI cause has raised thousands of pounds towards their effort to get DWP compensation, including a fundraiser in 2016 that raised over £100,000 towards legal advice to make complaints about the matter to the DWP.

This progressed to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) looking into the issue, who found in 2023 that there was 'maladministration' in the DWP's efforts to inform the women their state pension age would go up.

Another hugely successful fundraiser in 2023 raised more than £162,000 to challenge the Ombudsman's report and enhance its recommendations to the Government.

The PHSO recommended the women should get compensation ranging from £1,000 to £2,950 and said that Parliament should take up the matter.

However, Labour announced at the end of last year that there would be no compensation for the women. DWP minister Liz Kendall told the Commons it would be a poor use of public funds to provide compensation.

She argued that most women knew of the change to their state pension age and that had the DWP written a letter to the women sooner, this would have made little difference.

However, WASPI has launched a fresh legal bid, calling for a judicial review of the Government's decision. The high court has agreed to take this on, and a fundraiser towards WASPI's legal costs has raised over £240,000 to date.

WASPI said in its anniversary update: "We know that we could not have reached this point without the huge generosity you have shown in donating to our Crowdjustice appeals and the very significant contribution you have made in enabling our campaign to continue during these past years.

"Quite simply, we cannot thank you enough. We are now awaiting a firm date for our judicial review to be heard. It will almost certainly be this December and once we have the exact date, we will let you know."

A DWP spokesperson said previously about the judicial review: "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."


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