UK Government Rejects WASPI Compensation

The United Kingdom government has once again rejected compensation for millions of women born in the 1950s, known as WASPI women, who were affected by changes to the state pension age. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden announced the decision in the Commons, stating that while individual letters about pension age changes could have been sent earlier, the majority of women were already aware through various public information campaigns. He argued that a targeted compensation scheme would be impractical to verify individual circumstances, and a flat-rate scheme, costing up to £10.3 billion, would be unfair to taxpayers as most women were aware of the changes. This decision comes after a review prompted by the rediscovery of a 2007 United Kingdom===Department for Work and Pensions evaluation. Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), led by chairwoman Angela Madden, has condemned the decision as 'utter contempt' and plans to pursue legal advice and explore all avenues in Parliament and the courts. The United Kingdom===Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman had previously recommended compensation ranging from £1,000 to £2,950 per affected woman, a recommendation the government has chosen to disregard, drawing criticism from various MPs and political parties.