'Profound impact pension changes have had on lives'

MP for Wrexham

As a long-time supporter of the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign, I have witnessed firsthand the dedication and resilience of all those involved. I recently had the opportunity to meet with WASPI campaigners both at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool last week and in Parliament at the start of September. These meetings reinforced my understanding of the profound impact pension changes have had on their lives.

In recent years, the WASPI campaign has gained significant attention in the UK. Founded in 2015, WASPI represents women born in the 1950s who have been adversely affected by previous government’s decision to equalize the state pension age for men and women. This change, while aimed at addressing gender inequality, has left many women facing unexpected financial hardship.

The crux of the issue lies in the way the changes were implemented. Many women received little to no notice about the increase in their state pension age, which shifted from 60 to 65, and eventually to 66. This abrupt change left them with insufficient time to adjust their retirement plans, resulting in financial instability for many.

WASPI campaigners argue that the government failed to adequately communicate these changes, leaving millions of women unprepared for the financial impact. They are not against the equalization of the pension age but are calling for fair compensation for the lack of notice and the resulting financial losses.

Policy changes by previous Tory governments have played a significant role in this issue. The Pensions Act 1995 included provisions to increase the state pension age for women from 60 to 65 in stages between April 2010 and 2020. Further changes were introduced under the Pensions Act 2011, which accelerated the equalization of women’s state pension age and brought forward the increase in the state pension age to 66 by 2020.

An investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has found that there was maladministration in the way the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) communicated the changes to the state pension age. The PHSO has recommended compensation for the typical impacted woman to be between £1,000 and £2,950.

The financial implications of compensating WASPI women are significant, with estimates suggesting a potential cost of £10 billion. However, campaigners argue that this is a necessary step to rectify the injustice faced by these women. They believe that the government should take responsibility for the inadequate communication and provide fair compensation to those affected.

The women of WASPI are not just fighting for compensation; they are fighting for recognition of the hardships they have endured and for justice to be served. I am pleased that the new Labour Pensions Minister has met with the WASPI campaign—the first pensions minister to do so. I will continue to support the campaign and encourage the new government to act as quickly as possible on the PHSO report findings and put a plan in place as soon as possible to address this injustice.

Last week I held the first of several planned constituency surgeries for pensioners, in association with Wrexham Citizen’s Advice Bureau – where we were able to give assistance to help people access the range of support that is available to them. Thank you to those that attended and for discussing your concerns with me. I will be holding further such surgeries over coming weeks, if you wish to attend, please contact my office at andrew.ranger.mp@parliament.uk

Finally, I am pleased to report that the first members of the constituency office team have now commenced their roles, with more to join later this month. We have also just received the keys to the new constituency office in the centre of Wrexham – once it is set up, we will communicate details of how to book appointments for assistance. I, and the team, are looking forward to being able to help more constituents across Wrexham.