Portsmouth South’s Stephen Morgan MP has pledged to continue his support for women born in the 1950s, whose State Pension Age was increased without proper notice, and to fight for the 9,000 women affected in the city, following meeting with Solent WASPI campaigners
Stephen Morgan MP met with Solent Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaigners this week to catch up on the efforts of volunteers to lobby Government for fair and fast compensation.
WASPI ask for a one-off compensation payment for those women affected by the Department of Work and Pension’s (DWP) failure to communicate changes to State Pension Age from 60 to 66 in time for women to make fresh retirement plans. Some women were given only twelve months’ notice of a six year increase to their retirement age.
This time a year ago the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman PHSO) found the DWP guilty of maladministration in its handling of the changes, failing to inform women even when it became clear that many had no idea their retirement would be delayed by up to six years.
The PHSO found “The opportunity that additional notice would have given them to adjust their retirement plans was lost… Despite having identified there was more it could do, it failed to provide the public with as full information as possible.” The Ombudsman’s office additionally encouraged DWP to be “proactive” in finding a remedy for the women affected.
WASPI campaigners have recently pointed out the need for fair and fast compensation, particularly in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. Research commissioned by campaign group WASPI has found that by the end of 2022, more than 220,000 1950s born women will have died waiting for justice since the WASPI campaign began in 2015.
The Member of Parliament for Portsmouth South, Stephen Morgan, said:
“WASPI women have suffered – and continue to suffer – emotional hardship because of the lack of reasonable notice given by the DWP to changes in their State Pension Age.
“It is not fair that women in Portsmouth and across our country had the goalposts changed without their knowledge, and I believe it is only right that they be compensated for their loss. This compensation is particularly crucial given the age bracket of the women affected. They are now approaching old age amid a cost of living crisis, and this compensation money would have a monumental impact in alleviating their financial concerns.
“It was good to meet with Solent WASPI campaigners to agree how we will continue to keep the pressure on Ministers to finally end this pension injustice.”
Campaign Chair Angela Madden added:
“We are very pleased to have the continued support of Stephen Morgan MP. Having MPs on board is crucial in putting pressure on the current government to pull its head out the sand and begin engaging with us.
“We urge anyone who believes in social justice to join us in campaigning for the 3.6m women affected by DWP maladministration.”
