Advocating for WASPI Women

In December last year, the Government made the decision to reject the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s ruling on compensation for women affected by the increase in the state pension age. I was deeply disappointed when this was announced despite the the Ombudsman’s clear findings that those affected deserve compensation.

The women involved have tirelessly campaigned for justice and deserve our admiration for their persistence, we cannot abandon them. WASPI women in my constituency have told me that they feel forgotten by the Government and they are worried that they are dying before seeing compensation. Some have even been forced to live in poverty. It is an understatement to say that WASPI women have waited far too long, that is why I will continue to fight for compensation.

Yesterday, during a petitions debate on compensation for WASPI women, I raised the impact that the gender pay gap has had on pensioners.

Intervening on my colleague Roz Savage MP, I said:

“She mentioned there the gender pay gap, that is the reason why we have the gender pension gap and we know that amounts to almost 40%.

“Does she agree with me that this is one of the reasons why we need to be looking at WASPI women compensation again, because the lack of notification they had means that this money means so much to so many of them.”