WASPI campaigners are pressing Prime Minister Andy Burnham to authorise £2,950 payouts from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for millions of women affected by state pension age changes. The campaign, representing up to 3.5 million women born in the 1950s, has written a new letter to the Labour leader urging him to deliver “fair redress” after the previous government, under Sir Keir Starmer, twice refused to make the payments.
Background of the WASPI Injustice
The WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) campaign fights for justice for all women born between 6th April 1950 and 5th April 1960. These women were affected by the increase in the State Pension Age from 60 to 65, a change that was poorly communicated according to campaigners. Previously, women received their state pension five years earlier than men, but the equalisation of pension ages left many without adequate notice, causing financial hardship.
The campaign has long argued that the government failed to properly inform women of the changes, leaving them unable to plan for retirement. An Ombudsman report in 2024 recommended that the Labour government pay compensation of up to £2,950 per affected woman, but the government has consistently declined to implement this.
New Letter to Prime Minister Burnham
In a letter penned by WASPI chair Angela Madden, the campaign group calls on the new Prime Minister and Chancellor to sit down with them to determine what redress should look like. Madden highlighted that Burnham had given personal assurances during the Makerfield by-election that he was committed to addressing the injustice.
“We were grateful to receive personal assurances from Andy during the Makerfield by-election that addressing this injustice was something he was committed to carrying out,” Madden said. She added: “While recognising the new Prime Minister has a long list of things to fix, we are now asking him, alongside the Chancellor, to make good on that promise, and to sit down with WASPI to determine what redress for 1950s-born women looks like.”
Campaigners’ Determination
Madden expressed frustration at years of inaction: “For far too long, Waspi women have been let down by Governments of all colours and are understandably desperate to see this long-running injustice put right. Waspi, and millions of others, are hoping Andy can turn this around.” She also emphasised the need for a solution that is fair to both the women and the taxpayer: “We are absolutely determined to find a solution that is fair to both affected women and the taxpayer.”
The campaign’s persistence comes after a spokesperson for Burnham told the Financial Times in June that he considered the compensation case closed, but indicated openness to other forms of help. “He accepts the final decision has been made in relation to financial compensation but has indicated an openness to considering similar schemes on the Greater Manchester model,” the spokesperson said.
Burnham’s Past Support
Burnham has a history of supporting WASPI women, particularly in Greater Manchester, where he introduced early access to concessionary travel for affected women. “Mr Burnham has supported Waspi women in the city-region with early access to concessionary travel, providing some recompense to them within affordability limits,” the spokesperson added.
In comments reported by the Manchester Evening News, Burnham said: “I have long supported the campaign. And I feel uncomfortable when politicians were all holding up that sort of banner and then it got into government and didn’t do anything. So I stick by the campaigns that I support. I stuck by the Hillsborough families. I’ll stick by the Waspi women because they deserve some recompense for the unfairness.”
Impact and Next Steps
The outcome of this renewed pressure remains uncertain, but the WASPI campaign is hopeful that Burnham will act differently from his predecessor. With 3.5 million women potentially eligible for compensation, the financial implications for the DWP would be significant, but campaigners argue that the injustice warrants redress. The letter to Burnham and the Chancellor marks a formal request to engage in negotiations, and the campaign group is awaiting a response.
For many affected women, the wait for justice has been decades-long, and the urgency is palpable. Whether Burnham will bow to the pressure or maintain the previous stance remains to be seen, but the campaign is determined to continue its fight until a fair resolution is achieved.
