WASPI campaign date set for key meeting ‘to hold DWP to account’ | Personal finances

WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) activists will have a new opportunity to present their arguments in favor of compensation payments to a group of parliamentarians.

The campaign group will attend a testing session of the Work and Pensions Committee, who are in charge of supervising and scrutinizing the work of the DWP.

The meeting comes after the Labor Government announced last month that there would be no compensation payments for women born in the 1950s who were affected when the state pension age jumped from 60 to 65 and then to 66.

A previous investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman found there was “maladministration” in the way DWP told women about the change, and many did not know that they would have to wait another five or six years to claim their state pension.

The Ombudsman also recommended payments of £1,000 and £2,950, but Pensions Minister Liz Kendall told the Commons last month that no payments would be made, arguing that most women were aware of the change and it would be a misuse of taxpayers’ money.

WASPI campaign chair Angela Madden said of the upcoming committee meeting: “That will be an opportunity for us to talk to the committee about what our options are now, what we would like to see happen now.

“The select committee is part of the government process. They are the people who hold the Department for Work and Pensions to account. The department must take a letter or request from you seriously.”

The evidence meeting will take place on January 22. The previous committee set up under the Conservative government came out in favor of compensation; one of its members was Labor’s Debbie Abrahams, who now chairs the committee.

Many individual MPs have long been supporters of compensation, with the Liberal Democrats and the SNP support the cause as party policy.

Madden said it was important to update the committee created after the Government’s decision not to compensate. He explained: “Circumstances have definitely changed for us since the announcement. We want to help the committee responsible for the DWP hold them accountable.”

Since the decision, MPs supporting WASPI payments have tabled two separate motions early calling for action on the issue.

one of the movements condemn the decision and calls for women to be “fairly treated”, and 41 parliamentarians signed their support.

A total of 9 deputies have supported the other motionwhich asks ministers to “reverse this decision”.

WASPI’s cause will also come to the fore this week as there will be a debate on the issue in Westminster Hall, with WASPI activists attending to observe the proceedings. This will take place on Wednesday, January 15.

Mrs Madden said: “We are writing to all our supporting MPs asking them to join us. I am sure the independents will be there.”