Marvin OnumonuThree women from the North Lincolnshire Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) group are seeking compensation for changes to the state pension age, according to a recent report by the BBC.
The WASPI group argued women were not properly informed that their state pension age would increase from 60 to 65 (now 66).
Rosemary Jordan, Angie Hall, and Yvonne Worboys are members of the North Lincolnshire WASPI group, one of the original campaign groups hoping to change the ministers’ minds.
The WASPI campaign estimated that 3.6 million women suffered financially because they were not notified about the pension age changes, which prevented them from planning for retirement.
They argued that the majority of women have had to work up to six years longer than expected or risk financial hardship in later life.
Last December, the Government announced that it would not provide up to £3,000 in compensation recommended by a Parliamentary Ombudsman.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the taxpayer “simply can’t afford the burden of tens of billions of pounds of compensation” but acknowledged that the WASPI group would feel let down.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “We looked in full at the ombudsman recommendation and they said around 90% of women did know these changes were coming.
“Given the vast majority of people did know about these changes, I didn’t judge that it would be the best use of taxpayer’s money to pay an expensive compensation bill for something that most people knew was happening.”
Jordan said: “It’s not what the Government has done, it’s how it’s been done.
“There has been a lack of awareness for people of when their pension age would move.
“When it came to the crunch of having the opportunity to do something, they chose to do nothing.”
Hall said: “We’ve given our lives supporting the country through tax and national insurance, brought up families and looked after ageing parents and this is the thanks we get.
“It’s absolutely disgusting, I feel like moving to Spain to be honest.”
Worboys said: “To me it feels as if they’re waiting for us to die because they don’t want to pay us out.”
Despite facing challenges, Jordan expressed hope that someone will eventually listen to them, while Hall said: “The WASPI campaign goes on and we are fighting on.”
