The WASPI women are still in with a chance to get compensation from the DWP, an expert has said. The update comes as the campaign group has issued a letter demanding action from the Government and threatening further legal action.
WASPI campaigners (Women Against State Pension Inequality) represent the generation of women born in the 1950s who were affected by the state pension age for women going up from 60 to 65 and then 66.
Their case is that the DWP did not give them adequate warning of the change, with many unaware right up to the last minute, ruining their retirement plans when they found out.
They have been on the campaign trail for over a decade, gaining support from many MPs and some political parties. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman investigated the issue and concluded that the DWP made major mistakes and should have written to the women sooner. The watchdog suggested the women should be paid between £1,000 and £2,950.
But Labour ministers announced in January 2026 there would be no compensation, arguing that most women did know of the change and that writing letters to them sooner. Now WASPI has issued a letter to the DWP, threatening to apply for a judicial review of the decision and giving their lawyers 14 days to respond.
Hannah Martin, pensions expert and founder of Rich Retiree, said: "While I'm not a legal expert, I do know not to underestimate a determined, angry group of women. The WASPI campaign has confirmed that their legal team is intending to highlight 'legal errors' in the Government's decision-making, and they will give them 14 days to respond.
"Campaigners have suggested they are prepared to take the issue all the way to the High Court if necessary. This battle is a long way from over."
Much of the public supports the WASPI cause, as well as political parties including the Liberal Democrats, the SNP and the Green Party. Ms Martin said she thinks the WASPI debacle will continue to be contentious.
How much could WASPI compensation be?She said: "Given that it impacts 3.6 million women, and they are justifiably feeling hard done-by and angry, this is not going to go away quietly. It also touches on a number of sensitive topics, including pensions, cost of living, gender disparities and trust in the Government, which gain them sympathy from other groups struggling with similar issues.
"It's an easy cause for any party or politician looking to win over an influential section of the voting population." On the question of how much compensation the women should get, the expert said this is a difficult question to decide.
Ms Martin explained: "How much compensation should be paid is a hard call, as the financial impact is not the same for every woman. While a flat payment would be simpler to administer, there could be some women who are still left out of pocket, whereas others receive more than they lost. Some kind of simplified graduated scheme would be fairer."
