Martin Lewis issues verdict after DWP rejects WASPI compensation worth £2,950

Martin Lewis has issued an update over WASPI compensation after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) REJECTED the Ombudsman's findings. The government has rejected the findings of the Parliamentary Ombudsman into state pension age changes and it will not pay compensation to the so-called Waspi women.

The Department for Work and Pensions said introducing such a compensation scheme for women born in the 1950s would be “neither fair nor feasible”, despite the ombudsman suggesting it do so. In March the ombudsman found that between 1995 and 2004, the DWP’s communication of the changes to the state pension age were up to standards.

Martin wrote: "NEWS: Govt won't pay out Waspi compensation. There will be many disappointed women of a certain age today as @DWPgovuk secretary of state Liz Kendall has said govt won't make the payout for #WASPI women the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman recommended.

READ MORE People on DLA warned they will have to 'wait 10 months' for payment

" Its apologised for the 28mth delay in sending out letters in 2007, and accepts it was maladministration, but says in effect... these women whose state pension age was being pushed back didn't suffer a material direct financial loss. It says research shows there was awareness of state pension age increasing, and doesn't think earlier letters would've had much impact.

"So doesn't think state should pay the £3.5bn to £10bn settlement." In its report, the ombudsman said the DWP should provide a remedy and recommended compensation at level four (£1,000 to £2,950 per person affected).

But in its response to the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s findings, published today (December 17), the government said that while it accepted this delay and it was “sorry that we did not send individual letters earlier in this case” it rejected there was injustice.

It stated: “We do not think the [ombudsman] has properly reflected the evidence that only one in four people recall and read unsolicited letters.”