The Ombudsman said the DWP made key mistakes and should compensate the WASPI women
WASPI campaigners are fighting to get DWP compensation(Image: Getty)
A legal expert has declared that the DWP committed ‘textbook’ blunders in its management of the WASPI debacle. WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) is one of numerous campaign organisations advocating for the 1950s-born cohort of women who were affected by the state pension age for women rising from 60 to 65 and subsequently 66.
The group alleges the DWP failed to provide sufficient notification of the change, with many women remaining oblivious to the change until the eleventh hour. An earlier inquiry by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman discovered ‘maladministration’ in the DWP’s attempts to inform the women.
The oversight body declared the DWP ought to have dispatched letters to the women earlier, and suggested compensation between £1,000 and £2,950. Michael McCready, founder of injury lawyers group McCreadyLaw, described the furore as a classic example of a public body failing to communicate with the public.
READ MORE: DWP urges millions of pensioners to check bank accounts for £300 payments
The DWP ‘did not do enough’
He said: “The WASPI situation is a textbook example of what happens when policy changes get ahead of communication. The Government raised the pension age for women, which is a big deal for anyone planning retirement, and then didn’t do enough to tell them directly.
“That’s not just a misstep-that’s a process failure. In today’s world, where digital tools and data targeting are everywhere, it’s hard to believe that the DWP couldn’t have done a better job getting the word out.”
Despite the damning findings from the Ombudsman, the DWP declared at the close of last year it would not offer compensation. Labour argued that most women were aware of the change, and that sending letters earlier would have made minimal impact.
WASPI campaigners have fought for years to get DWP compensation(Image: Getty)
WASPI later sought a judicial review of this decision, which is set to take place at the high court on December 9 and 10. Nevertheless, the DWP announced this week it is withdrawing its decision not to provide compensation.
Ministers said new evidence has come to light, and they will issue a fresh ruling on the matter. Mr McCready said that the Government is responsible for informing citizens of policy changes, such as changes to the state pension age.
He said: “I understand the argument that people are responsible for knowing the rules that affect them. But most people aren’t tracking Government policy announcements in their spare time.
READ MORE: State pension concerns following latest employment figures
“If you change something as significant as the state pension age, and don’t make a serious effort to communicate it directly to those impacted, you can’t turn around and blame them for not knowing. That’s not how accountability works.”
The state pension age is now 66 for both men and women, and is rising to 67 between April 2026 and April 2028. It will increase once more to 68 between 2044 and 2046, though there have been discussions about accelerating this timeline.
Mr McCready suggested the WASPI fiasco presents an opportunity for public bodies like the DWP to improve how they do things. He said: “The Government has tools today – AI, analytics, digital outreach – that could help avoid this kind of breakdown in the future.
“If this review leads to better systems and clearer responsibilities, then something good might still come out of a bad situation. That’s where real progress begins.”
