‘No chance’ that Government will hold the line if it rejects WASPI compensation – Steve Webb, LCP

Today’s report from the Parliamentary Ombudsman recommends that Parliament come up with a redress scheme for women who were not properly informed of changes in their state pension age. Whilst the Ombudsman says that compensation for maladministration should ideally reflect each person’s individual case, the Ombudsman recognises that this would be very difficult where millions of people are affected. He therefore suggests flat rate compensation – provisionally in the range of £1,000 - £2,950 (‘level 4’ on the standard scale of compensation for ‘distress and inconvenience’). Ultimately, this will be a decision for Parliament.

The Ombudsman’s report shows that following the further changes in 2011, over 5 million individual letters were sent out, but that no letters were sent out in the years which followed the 1995 Act, including when DWP was aware of low levels of public awareness of the changes.

Commenting on today’s report by the Parliamentary Ombudsman on changes to women’s state pension age, Steve Webb, partner at LCP, said:

“If DWP refuses to accept the Ombudsman’s recommendation and refuses to establish a redress scheme, there is no chance that this position will hold. Particularly during an Election year, the Government will struggle to secure a majority for ignoring the Ombudsman’s report. Instead, DWP should respect the Ombudsman’s conclusions, which have been carefully considered over many years, and should come up with a redress scheme for their failure to notify women of sometimes life-changing increases in their state pension age.”