Government rethinks stance on £10.5bn Waspi women compensation, McFadden confirms

3 hours ago7 min read

The government is actively reconsidering its decision not to pay compensation to the Waspi women, Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden has confirmed. This marks a potential major shift in a long-running dispute over state pension age changes for women born in the 1950s.The move follows the Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride's announcement that 'new evidence' prompted a fresh look at the issue, which could lead to payouts estimated to reach £10. 5 billion.The Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) campaign argues that 3. 6 million women were not given adequate notice when their pension age was raised from 60 to 66, leaving them no time to adjust their retirement plans.A report from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman had previously found 'maladministration' in the Department for Work and Pensions' communication of the changes. The government is now under significant pressure to respond to these findings.While the Treasury is wary of the enormous fiscal impact, backbench MPs are acutely aware of the campaign's strong electoral resonance. A decision to approve compensation would be seen as a historic victory for the campaigners, whereas a refusal after this reconsideration would likely provoke a fierce political backlash.

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