UK Government's Refusal of Compensation to "Waspi Women" Sparks Outrage
A decision by the UK government has left millions of women born in the 1950s feeling betrayed, as they will not receive any state pension compensation. The ruling comes despite a parliamentary and health service ombudsman ruling in March this year that those affected should be compensated.
The campaign group "Waspi" (Women Against State Pension Inequality) launched their fight for justice four years ago, after government failings led to many women losing out on increased state pensions. The group claims that the decision to raise the state pension age from 60 to 65 and then 66 has plunged thousands of retirement plans into chaos, leaving many with significant financial losses.
The UK's work and pensions secretary, Pat McFadden, cited concerns over the cost of a flat-rate compensation scheme as the reason for the government's refusal. The proposed scheme would have paid out £10.3 billion to women born in the 1950s, but Mr. McFadden argued that it was "not right or fair" given many women were aware of the pension changes.
However, campaigners claim that the lack of awareness and the sudden change has caused significant financial hardship for many women. Many had relied on receiving their state pension at 60, only to discover years later that their age had increased by several years, leaving them thousands of pounds out of pocket.
The chair of Waspi, Angela Madden, has vowed to continue fighting for justice, stating that "all options remain on the table" and that her group will pursue every avenue in parliament and the courts. The decision is seen as a "disgraceful political choice" by many, who feel that the government's refusal to compensate those affected demonstrates a "utter contempt" for the women involved.
The case has sparked outrage among campaigners and many are now considering bringing new legal action based on the latest ruling. As one woman put it, "This is a shameful decision that shows that millions of ordinary women simply do not matter."
A decision by the UK government has left millions of women born in the 1950s feeling betrayed, as they will not receive any state pension compensation. The ruling comes despite a parliamentary and health service ombudsman ruling in March this year that those affected should be compensated.
The campaign group "Waspi" (Women Against State Pension Inequality) launched their fight for justice four years ago, after government failings led to many women losing out on increased state pensions. The group claims that the decision to raise the state pension age from 60 to 65 and then 66 has plunged thousands of retirement plans into chaos, leaving many with significant financial losses.
The UK's work and pensions secretary, Pat McFadden, cited concerns over the cost of a flat-rate compensation scheme as the reason for the government's refusal. The proposed scheme would have paid out £10.3 billion to women born in the 1950s, but Mr. McFadden argued that it was "not right or fair" given many women were aware of the pension changes.
However, campaigners claim that the lack of awareness and the sudden change has caused significant financial hardship for many women. Many had relied on receiving their state pension at 60, only to discover years later that their age had increased by several years, leaving them thousands of pounds out of pocket.
The chair of Waspi, Angela Madden, has vowed to continue fighting for justice, stating that "all options remain on the table" and that her group will pursue every avenue in parliament and the courts. The decision is seen as a "disgraceful political choice" by many, who feel that the government's refusal to compensate those affected demonstrates a "utter contempt" for the women involved.
The case has sparked outrage among campaigners and many are now considering bringing new legal action based on the latest ruling. As one woman put it, "This is a shameful decision that shows that millions of ordinary women simply do not matter."
... i mean, those "waspi women" have been fighting for 4 years and the gov's just saying no to compensation? £10.3 billion, that's a lot of money! it's just not fair that they're being left with thousands of pounds out of pocket because the gov decided to change the rules.
and to the gov, well... let's just say that this decision is gonna be a long time coming back to haunt them 
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and they're making excuses about cost 
but honestly it's just a slap in the face 
what's wrong with the gov't? they should be helping ppl not hurting them 
. I mean, come on! These women have been working their whole lives and contributed to society, only to be left high and dry when they need it most 
. They're not asking for the moon here, just a fair compensation for the pain caused by the government's mistake 
. It's not like they knew about the pension changes or anything - the issue is that the changes were made without adequate planning, leaving them with no choice but to rely on their state pension at 60 
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. They've got retirement plans that have been thrown out of the window, and they're left struggling to make ends meet 
. This decision is a slap in the face to millions of women who deserve better 
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UK government's refusal to compensate those affected by the state pension age changes is just unacceptable 
. These women have been fighting for justice for years and yet they're still being left high and dry 
! I mean, come on, 4 years of campaigning and now they're just gonna leave them with nothing? It's like they expect these women to just magically know the pension changes are comin' and plan accordingly... Newsflash: not everyone is a financial genius 
. The chair of Waspi is doin' her best to fight for justice and I'm all for it 
. Let's hope they can get some serious changes in parliament 
. This decision is a total shame 
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This is just not fair to those women. They've been fighting for years and now they're being told they don't get any compensation? It's like the government is saying sorry, but not really sorry. I mean, who wouldn't want to know about a change in pension age before it affects them? 
I'm really disappointed to hear about this decision, its like they're leaving these ladies high and dry 
. The government's saying the compensation scheme would be too costly, but I think that's just a cover for their own mistakes 
. These women have been hurt by changes that were made without their input or awareness, it's not fair 
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. The UK Government needs to rethink its decision and find a way to compensate these women fairly and quickly 
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. the government's refusal to compensate these women is just disgusting 
.
I'm shocked by this UK government's decision to deny state pension compensation to these "Waspi Women". It's like they forgot about all the struggles they went through. The cost argument just doesn't sit right with me, especially when you consider that many women had no idea their age was increasing and now they're left struggling financially. I mean, £10.3 billion is a lot of money! 
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. Um, excuse me? Those women didn't deserve to be punished for knowing something that was already happening 
. The fact that the government is being so stubborn about this is just ridiculous 
.