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Waspi women accuse Rachel Reeves of state pension ‘betrayal’
Affected women says Labour’s stance directly affects who they vote for in the election
![Reeves](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/money/2024/06/07/TELEMMGLPICT000380846896_17177714084850_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqyuLFFzXshuGqnr8zPdDWXlBrypBlE9gkAf0UdVnszq4.jpeg?imwidth=680)
Women who were not told about increases to their state pension age say they feel “appalled, shocked and betrayed” after Rachel Reeves admitted nothing has been set aside to compensate them.
Some of the affected women, known as the Waspis, also said that the shadow chancellor’s words would directly affect who they vote for in the upcoming general election.
Speaking to journalists in Edinburgh earlier this week, Ms Reeves said she recognised their injustice, but added “I have not set out any money for this”.
Her comments came despite Labour promising to right a “historical wrong” with compensation of up to £31,300 for Waspis in its 2019 manifesto.
The Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) campaign group accused Labour of turning its back on women at the 11th hour. Another retiree described the situation as “diabolical”.
Waspi women, born between 1950 and 1960, claim they were forced to work six extra years after the government changed the state pension age to 66 without informing them.
In March, a report published by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) ruled the DWP had failed to adequately communicate the changes and recommended a payout of between £1,000 and £2,950 for some of the three million women affected.
The PHSO asked Parliament to intervene swiftly, but no action has yet been taken.
Ms Reeves has now cast doubt on whether any compensation would be paid under a Labour government.
She said: “Our manifesto will be published shortly, but I’ve said we won’t put forward anything that is not fully costed and fully-funded and I have not set out any money for this.”
One of the women affected, Shirley Kearney, 66, only found out 18 months before her 60th birthday that she’d have to work longer before getting her state pension.
In response to Ms Reeves, she said: “[I’m] shocked and betrayed really. They’re not actually giving us anything, but they took the money off us, and you’re saying you’re not going to pay them. It’s diabolical.
“How can they say they’ve not set any money aside? People like myself, older and younger, have lost a lot of money and they’re all struggling now because of it. I’ve been a lone parent for most of my years and it’s been hard. I worked, worked, worked, until I couldn’t work any more. My body just gave in.
“I still want to continue to give my children and grandchildren money for Christmas and birthdays. When I retired, I didn’t expect to be struggling like this.”
Another Waspi woman, Carole Vanter, 66, said: “I was just appalled. She [Rachel Reeves] doesn’t realise how much money we put in, how much anger we’ve got. We’ve worked in this country since we were 14, 15, we should be listened to. I feel we’ve been robbed of this money. We won’t go down without a fight.
“After what she said, there’s no way she’s going to get my vote.”
The Waspi campaign group is also demanding answers.
In a letter sent to Ms Reeves after her comments, it said: “The PHSO investigation lasted six long years, with Conservative ministers hiding behind its glacial pace as an excuse for making no progress on a remedy for the women affected. During that time, countless Labour MPs have stood in pictures smiling with us and demanding the Conservatives take action.
“Now, with Labour a stone’s throw from power, that commitment seems to be vanishing. Hundreds of thousands of Waspi women already feel badly let down, as it appears Labour is preparing to turn its backs on us at the eleventh hour.”
The letter asks Ms Reeves to clarify her position and commit to a compensation scheme in the first 100 days of the next Parliament.The group also says more than 280,000 women have already died without compensation.
Angela Madden, Chair of Waspi, added: “This has gone on long enough. While politicians dither and delay, the women affected are dying at a rate of one every thirteen minutes.”
The Labour party did not respond to a request for comment.