Q&A - Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI)

WaspiKate

I am a member of WASPI Ltd and have paid money into the crowd funder for legal action to be taken against the government. I have written all the letters proscribed by Bindmans and Waspi and await the outcome BUT this is not legal action against the government, it is a complaint about maladministration of a government department. What is happening about the promised legal action and why are we not being kept informed?

The WASPI campaign raised £100,000 through CrowdJustice to fund an initial legal campaign. We were blown away by the number of WASPI women like yourself willing to reach into their own pockets to fund our activities, showing just how important the campaign is.

The Crowdjustice appeal clearly stated:

“Our initial target will allow us to take advice on judicial review in parallel with preparing materials to assist with maladministration complaints. Our stretch target will provide the start of funding for us to engage in legal correspondence with the DWP and pursue the legal challenges identified through the legal advice we intend to obtain.”

This is how the funds are still being used.

Our lawyers, Bindmans have advised that a mass action complaint against the Department for Work and Pensions is currently the most effective legal avenue to pursue, both in terms of time and cost. Acting under the advice of Bindmans, we are therefore pursuing the maladministration case in the first instance. We are confident that this will give us the best chance of success, and ensure that women affected by State Pension age rises are fully compensated for their loss.

The DWP mass action complaint has now been going on for some months, with over 4000 letters sent by Waspi women to the DWP that have got through to the final stage of the complaints process. WASPI is continuing to encourage its members to write to the DWP, with hundreds more letters being sent every week.

Everyone who has contributed to the Crowdjustice campaign and/or has become a member receives emails keeping them up to date with the legal campaign whenever there is something new to report.

mrsmopp

I was born in the 1940s, so my pension was payable from age 60. However we needed 40 years contributions for a full pension and not many of us qualified for that due to gaps in working years because of childcare. There was little provision for childcare in the 60s, so most of us had a career break, causing a shortfall in number of qualifying years. I understand now that a NI record can be credited for those years so we have also missed out.

If a wife cannot claim a pension now till age 67, can her husband claim for her on his contributions, or has that been taken away also? Why aren't women MPs making more noise about this?

WASPI are acutely aware of this problem. However, the main drive of our campaign isn't to focus on previous poor performances, but to look forward to how we can amend things for WASPI women.

Dignity56

So many 1950s women have researched the background of the baffling timetable and found statements by Ministers and advisory boards. Waspi Board members don't seem to use this information. Why not pass it along to coordinators and Bindmans ?

WASPI directors are acutely aware of the inadequacies of the timetable of the new State Pension Ages and do bring this information to bear in discussions with MPs. However, the main thrust of our campaign is not to look back at how badly things were done, but to look forward to how we can put things right for WASPI women.

GracesGranMK2

I am one of the lucky ones who was born before the WASPI dates but I would like to support the campaign. Is there a legal challenge being made and if so is there anywhere I can contribute?

The WASPI Campaign has launched a mass action complaint against the Department for Work and Pensions on the basis that 1950s women were not given adequate notice about changes to their State Pension Age. As part of this, we are encouraging WASPI women to make a formal complaint to the Department for Work and Pensions on the basis of maladministration.

Although the legal complaint can only be made by women affected, we would ask you to support the campaign by alternative means. You can engage with us on social media, and help us spread the WASPI message, or you could write to your local MP and ask them to support WASPI women in your constituency. You can also donate to our campaign online here:

www.waspi.co.uk/membership

Grannybeth

Is Labour supporting all 50's women. Dawn Butler said in an article on 11th September

"Labour during the General Election called for pension credits to be extended to women affected to help end the plight of the tens of thousands of women abandoned to live in poverty by the Tory Government’s changes to their state pension age"

Read more at: inews.co.uk/opinion/dawn-butler-pledge-waspi-women/

WASPI is campaigning for all 1950s born women affected by the State Pension Age rise mismanagement. As we've previously mentioned, there have been some reports in the media of the Labour Party proposing a solution that may not encompass the whole group of 1950s women. WASPI's been clear that it will not accept this and we're working closely with Labour leadership to reach a solution that works for all.

grabba

What has happened to the legal case?

Our lawyers, Bindmans have advised that a mass action complaint against the Department for Work and Pensions is currently the most effective legal avenue to pursue, both in terms of cost and time. This has now been going on for some months, with over 4000 letters sent by WASPI women to the DWP that have got through to the final stage of the complaints process. WASPI is continuing to encourage its members to write to the DWP, with hundreds more letters being sent every week.

gillybob

I'm 55, not in the best of health and feel like I will be working until I drop dead. The goal posts are forever moving. My husband is 10 years older than me and we hoped he could work until 70 and we could retire together when I was 60. Sadly no longer to be with my projected retirement age now set st 67.5. It's not fair .

WASPI agrees that the State Pension Age for women should be brought in line with that of men. However, millions of women born in the 1950s were not given adequate warning of increases to their State Pension Age. This left some women with less than a year to prepare for a six-year change.

This poor communication has meant that many 1950s women are suffering huge financial difficulties because of the changes implemented in the 1995 and 2011 Pension Acts. Some will lose up to £45,000, with no time to put in place alternative financial arrangements to see them through to the new state retirement age.

The lack of notice has also meant that instances in like yours, couples did not have sufficient time to make arrangements to change their work patterns so that they could enjoy retirement together.

Ilovecheese

Are WASPI also highlighting the fact that the number of qualifying years has also increased from 30 to 35. So that while we thought we had enough years to get the full pension if we had 30 years, we then found out we had to pay extra?

The WASPI Campaign has launched a mass action complaint against the Department for Work and Pensions on the basis that 1950s women were not given adequate notice about changes to their State Pension Age. As you correctly mention, there are other changes that were potentially unfair for some women during this period, including the rules surrounding National Insurance contributions; Pension Credit; and contracting out.

We have been encouraging women affected by these changes to include them in their complaint to the Department for Work and Pensions. We also continue to raise this issue in our discussions with Parliamentarians, and our on-going media work.

GranJan60

Very confused since Carolyn Harris's latest efforts to help. Is this now just for women born 1953 or earlier? I am 63 and redundant 3 years ago. Unable to get another job though qualified, I got only 6m JSA and am now reliant on my husband's pension. NO income of my own for another 2.5 years, after 45 years of work. Disgusting to be abandoned by Government to life with no independence or self respect.

WASPI campaigns for all 1950s born women affected by the mismanagement of State Pension Age rises. There have been some reports in the media of a solution proposed by the Labour Party that may not encompass the whole group of 1950s women. WASPI has been clear that it will not accept this. We are working closely with Labour leadership to get a solution that works for everyone.