DWP urged to 'swiftly' help all the women it failed after changes to their State Pension age

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Mel Stride MP has said he will return to the House of Commons “when there is something to say” about a decision on whether women born in the 1950s affected by changes to the State Pension age should receive compensation. His comments may confuse some people as the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report (PHSO) published on March 21 indicated that compensation should be made.

The latest Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) figures indicate that fraud and error in the benefit system is falling after the UK Government restated its determination to drive levels down further and protect taxpayers’ money. The most-recent national statistics show that in the 2022/23 financial year, fraud and error rates fell to 3.6 per cent (£8.3 billion) from 4.0 per cent (£8.7 billion) - figures for 2023/24 are due to be published next month.

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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has removed the online claim forms for the 2023/24 Winter Fuel Payment for people living in the UK and retirees living abroad. The closing date for applications for the annual heating bill help was Sunday, March 31 - which means anyone who missed the deadline will not be entitled to up to £600.

An open letter to Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt MP, demanding a debate and vote in Parliament on compensation for Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign, has been signed by more than 156,000 people in just 10 days.

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Millions of older people in receipt of the New or Basic State Pension are set for a significant boost this year after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed payments will rise by 8.5 per cent from April 8, 2024. Those with additional State Pension elements or deferred payments, will see an uplift of 6.7 per cent.

More than 41,000 people have signed an online petition created by Angela Madden, chair of the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign, urging the Leader of the House of Commons to “urgently” give MPs the opportunity to debate and vote on compensation for women affected by changes to their State Pension age.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) published a report on Thursday which said that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) failed to adequately communicate changes to women’s State Pension age, and those affected are owed compensation. As a result of its findings, the Ombudsman has asked Parliament to intervene and “act swiftly” to make sure a compensation scheme is established.

More than 39,500 people have signed an online petition calling for income tax on the State Pension to be scrapped in order to help “reduce the tax burden on pensioners” despite the UK Government rejecting the proposal earlier this year. The petition was created after it was announced in November the Personal Allowance income threshold will remain frozen at £12,570 during the 2024/25 financial year.

A report looking into how raising the age when women retire has impacted them is to be published on Thursday.

The Work and Pensions Committee has said that uprating of benefits should be guaranteed by the UK Government every year and the Household Support Fund should be made permanent. Committee chairman Sir Stephen Timms said the annual “will they or won’t they speculation” in the run-up to each Budget announcement on whether benefits will rise in line with inflation must end.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced last week that an update on the progress it is making to identify and rectify historical State Pension errors will be published before the end of this month. Pensions Minister Paul Maynard MP said that the report will cover progress made up until the end of February this year.

An online petition urging the UK Government to increase the current Basic State Pension payment rate from £156.20 to £203.85 each week has now passed the 10,000 signature threshold and is entitled to an official written response, most-likely from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

The latest statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show the State Pension currently provides regular financial support for nearly 12.7 million older people across the country, including over one million retirees living in Scotland. This payment is available for those who have reached the UK Government’s eligible retirement age, which is currently 66 for men and women, and have paid at least 10 years' worth of National Insurance Contributions.

More than 45,200 people have signed an online petition calling for a ‘universal’ weekly State Pension payment of nearly £550 in order to match the current hourly rate of the National Living Wage. Petition creator Michael Thompson also suggests making the option to claim State Pension available to everyone from the age of 60.

The chair of the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign has indicated that the final report from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) into ‘injustice caused by the maladministration’ of changes to the State Pension age, “is set to be released within weeks”.

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Around one in five people across the UK are set to receive a massive cash boost from next month, as the new State Pension rates are set to increase by as much as £902 each year for people on the full benefit.

Millions of people claiming their State Pension can look forward to an inflation-busting boost next month when payments rise by 8.5 per cent from April 8. Under the wages growth measure of the Triple Lock policy, those on the full New State Pension can expect an annual increase of £902, while those on the full Basic State Pension will see an uplift of £692.