WASP: Women affected by state pension age hike denied payments.

Campaigners have reacted with anger at what they say is the Government’s “unfair” rejection of compensation for women affected by changes to the state pension age.

They say the 3.6 million women born in the 1950s were not properly informed about the rise in the state pension age to bring them on par with men.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall apologized for the 28-month delay in sending the letters, but ruled out any financial payments.

Nine months ago, a parliamentary ombudsman recommended compensation of between £1,000 and £2,950 to each of the victims.

The Women Against State Pension Inequality (WSP) campaign called the government’s decision “an outrage”.

“The government has made an extraordinary political choice today to ignore the clear recommendations of an independent watchdog,” said Angela Madden, head of the campaign group.

“This is a strange and completely unfair move that will leave everyone asking what the point of the ombudsman is if ministers simply ignore their decisions.”

The Waspi campaign had called for a payment of at least £10,000 each.

But Kendall said there was evidence there was “substantial awareness” of changes to the pension age, and sending the letter earlier did not make a difference to their ability to choose retirement.

He also said there was no evidence of “direct financial loss” as a result of the government’s decision.

“While the majority of women know that the state pension age is rising, the government does not believe that paying all women a flat rate at a cost of up to £10.5bn would be fair or proportionate to the taxpayer,” she said.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he understood the waspi women’s concerns, but had to consider whether it was right to “put more burden on the taxpayer”.

The age at which people receive the State Pension is rising as people live longer, and is currently 66 for men and women.

But for decades men got the state pension at 65 and women at 60.

Under the Pensions Act of 1995 a timetable was drawn up to equalize the age at which men and women receive their state pension. The plan was to raise the qualifying age for women to 65 and phase out the change from 2010 to 2020.

But the 2010 coalition government decided to speed it up. The new qualifying age of 65 for women was brought forward in 2018 under the Pension Act of 2011.

The increase has been controversial. Campaigners claim that women born in the 1950s are being unfairly treated by rapid changes and the way victims are approached.

Many thousands said they had no idea they would have to wait longer to receive their state pension, and had suffered financial and emotional distress as a result.

While the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) could recommend compensation, it could not enforce it.

The Work and Pensions Secretary said that lessons will be learned from what happened. The government will develop an action plan to address the issues identified in the ombudsman’s report, and set out clear notice of any future changes to the state pension age.

It said future pension communications would also use “the most up-to-date methods” to contact victims.

Liberal Democrat work and pensions spokesman Steve Darling said: “Today is a day of shame for the government. [which] Ignoring the independent ombudsman’s recommendations has turned away millions of women of pensionable age through no fault of their own, and that is frankly disgraceful.”

For the Conservatives, who did not respond to the ombudsman’s report while in power, shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Wheatley said ministers should “own” the decision not to pay.

A petition to parliament to introduce the compensation system had reached 135,000 signatures before Tuesday’s announcement.

The Waspi campaign and others have highlighted previous comments made before the Prime Minister, as well as Kendall, took office.

Both spoke about the “injustice” women faced, with a post from 2019. Still on the latter’s website.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Rebecca Hilsenrath, said: “The Government’s decision not to fully accept our recommendations is disappointing and will be difficult for women to hear.”

Others, he added, had not lived long enough to apologize for the delay.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director of Age UK, said women “have a right to feel grief.”

“The fact that many of the women affected will also be dealing with the loss of winter fuel payments this year will only intensify their sense of injustice,” she said.

However, not everyone has criticized the government’s decision. Pensions consultant John Rolfe said it was the right and “inevitable” response from the Department for Work and Pensions.