Burnham Reverses Position on WASPI Compensation
Incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham has ruled out Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) cash payments worth up to £2,950 for women affected by changes to the state pension age, known as the WASPI campaign. Mr Burnham will succeed Sir Keir Starmer on Monday, July 21, 2026, but ahead of entering Number 10, his spokesperson confirmed that he now “accepts the decision not to award compensation to the group is final.”
Previous Support for WASPI Women
Mr Burnham had previously expressed his “uncomfortableness” with politicians who supported WASPI women before reneging once in government. As Greater Manchester Mayor, he backed the campaign and said the women “deserve some recompense for the unfairness.” He stated: “I have long supported the campaign and I feel uncomfortable when politicians were all holding up their banner and then got into government and didn’t do anything. So I stick by the campaigns that I support. I stuck by the Hillsborough families and I will stick by the Waspi women because they deserve some recompense for the unfairness.”
Final Decision on Compensation
However, a representative for Mr Burnham later clarified his stance, stating: “Andy has always recognised the unfair way in which state pension equalisation was introduced. As mayor of Greater Manchester, he supported Waspi women in the city-region with early access to concessionary travel, providing some recompense to them within affordability limits. 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.”
A report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) recommended compensation of between £1,000 and £2,950 per woman, which could have totalled more than £10 billion. The previous government under Sir Keir Starmer refused to pay out, and Mr Burnham has now confirmed he will not reverse that decision.
