The WASPI campaign has provided an update on next steps after the DWP rejected compensation for the second time, with legal teams reviewing whether to launch another judicial review challenge
The WASPI campaign (Women Against State Pension Inequality) has provided a fresh update on their fight for DWP compensation. The group suffered a significant blow recently when the DWP confirmed it would not be offering compensation.
This marked the second time the Labour Government has issued a statement on the matter. Ministers initially announced in December 2024 that no compensation would be forthcoming, but the WASPI campaign successfully secured a judicial review of that decision.
The campaigners were due to appear in court in December 2025, but ministers withdrew the decision at the last minute, stating they would reconsider it based on new evidence. Legal representatives for the DWP then agreed to an out-of-court settlement, paying out £120,000 to cover WASPI’s legal costs.
This raises questions about whether WASPI will mount another judicial review challenge against the latest decision. In an update, WASPI said: “Since our last update, WASPI’s legal team have undertaken a careful line by line scrutiny of the Government’s new decision and the barrister team has been fully briefed; we will meet with them in the coming days. We will update you on our next steps once we have received their advice.”
The WASPI campaign is amongst several organisations representing women born in the 1950s who were affected when the state pension age for women increased from 60 to 65 and later to 66, reports the Mirror.
Campaigners maintain the women weren’t properly informed about the changes, and the DWP should have communicated the alterations sooner.
An earlier investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman found there was ‘maladministration’ by the DWP, as they ought to have sent letters to the affected women far earlier. The watchdog recommended compensation payments to the women ranging between £1,000 and £2,950.
Labour has accepted this finding of maladministration, but opted against providing financial compensation. In delivering the second decision, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden told MPs: “The evidence shows that the vast majority of 1950s-born women already knew the state pension age was increasing thanks to a wide range of public information, including through leaflets, education campaigns, information in GP surgeries, on TV, radio, cinema and online.
“To specifically compensate only those women who suffered injustice would require a scheme that could reliably verify the individual circumstances of millions of women.”
Grace Hardy, tax accountant at Hardy Accounting, highlighted several crucial takeaways from the WASPI situation. She said: “The overarching lesson is that the UK tax and benefits system is genuinely complex, changes frequently, and does not reliably notify those affected by changes.
“Treating your own financial position as something to actively and periodically review rather than something that will look after itself is probably the most valuable single habit anyone can develop.”
She urged individuals not to assume that current regulations will stay the same going forward. She said: “Pension ages, tax thresholds, allowances and benefit rules are all subject to change. Any plan that depends entirely on current rules holding indefinitely is fragile.”
This advice is particularly timely, as the state pension age will soon be rising again. The qualifying age currently sits at 66 for both men and women and will rise progressively from April 2026, reaching 67 by April 2028.
Ms Hardy pointed out some other financial matters worth keeping an eye on. She said: “Know what applies to you specifically. General media coverage tells you the average or headline rules.
“But your state pension age, your National Insurance record, your specific tax position, your pension entitlements these are individual. Use the Government Gateway to check your state pension forecast and National Insurance record.”
She also advised seeking independent financial guidance on significant decisions, including consolidating pensions, drawing down from defined benefit schemes, and inheritance planning. Ms Hardy stated: “These are areas where mistakes are costly and often irreversible.”
You must be logged in to post a comment Login