WASPI Campaign - January 2026

As we enter 2026, I thought it might be useful to provide a short update on some of my work over the last year on the WASPI campaign. 

On Wednesday the 15th of January 2025, I attended a Westminster Hall Debate on the topic of compensation for women affected by the changes to the State Pension age. I intervened to highlight how the Government choosing not to implement the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s (PHSO) recommendations for compensation are creating distrust from the public in Parliamentary procedure. You can see the clip here. 

The next day, the 16th of January, I asked the Leader of the House when a debate and vote could take place in Government time on implementing the PHSO’s recommendations. Speaking in the Chamber, I said:

“Given that the PHSO sent the report to Parliament for Parliament to decide, when will the government give time for this debate and vote to take place?”

Following the Government’s response that a decision had already been made, I co-signed a letter to the Secretary and Chancellor from the APPG on State Pension Inequality for Women urging them to review the Government’s approach to the PHSO’s report and allow time for a Parliamentary debate and vote on redress mechanisms. A copy of the letter can be found here. 

On the 28th of January 2025, there was a vote in Parliament on a Ten Minute Rule Bill on the Ombudsman’s Report and compensation scheme. Given my support for compensation, I regret that I wasn’t able to be there due to illness. My fellow Liberal Democrats voted in favour of the Bill, and if I was able to, I would have done the same. 

On the 17th of March 2025, I took part in a petitions debate on compensation for WASPI women where I raised the impact that the gender pay gap has had on pensioners and the need to revisit compensation. You can watch it here.

Ahead of the Budget, I wrote to the Government urging them to give compensation at the Budget. You can see the letter here.

I also met with campaigners on Budget Day – they come every year and year after year are let down by no mention of compensation. 

This year, on 7^th January, I wrote to the Secretary of State following the out of court settlement between WASPI campaigners and the Government that was reached on 2^nd December. In this settlement, in exchange for WASPI campaigners withdrawing their legal challenge to the Government’s initial decision on compensation, the Government committed to conducting a full review. This entails considering all the evidence afresh and providing a decision within 12 weeks. I urged the Government to finally accept the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s compensation recommendations in full as part of this review. You can read the letter here.

The findings of the independent Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman were clear: the government failed to provide accurate, adequate and timely information to women affected by the state pension changes. The Ombudsman was equally clear that those affected deserve compensation. The women involved have tirelessly campaigned for justice and deserve our admiration for their persistence, instead, the Government has turned its back on them.

For years, Liberal Democrats have pushed the government to fairly compensate WASPI women in line with the Ombudsman’s recommendations.

Please know that I and my Liberal Democrat colleagues will continue pressing ministers to give those affected the fair treatment they deserve.