PHSO Report – Women’s State Pension age (WASPI) [21/03/2024]

Earlier today, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman issued it’s report and findings into Women’s State Pension age.

The WASPI women have been very badly let down and many will have died while waiting for the compensation they deserve.

This matter should be a priority for the UK government and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report today provides all the information required for a speedy conclusion. The only question now is how much compensation will be paid.

This denial of justice for the women is disgraceful and has been allowed to go on for far too long. The PHSO report is rightly scathing in its criticism of the Department of Work and Pensions.

After all this time the UK government must pay compensation to the WASPI women and pay it promptly. The ball is in its court.

The unjustified state pension changes have saved the UK government £181 billion. The former Tory Chancellor George Osborne described the changes in state pension entitlement as the ‘easiest savings’ he had ever made.

If the UK Government were to pay ten thousand pounds compensation to the WASPI women would still net a saving of £145 billion pounds to the UK Exchequer.

The UK government must acknowledge the conclusions of this report, the DWP must apologise and compensation should be forthcoming immediately.

The current Ombudsman, Rob Behrens, is leaving his post and I would imagine his successor would want this matter off the books before they start.

One way or another we need to see immediate action on this to compensate women in Inverclyde. I will continue to support the WASPI campaigners in my role as your local Member of Parliament.

Yours sincerely,