WASPI women issued 'as soon as possible' update over DWP compensation worth £3,000

WASPI women have had their hopes of a payout from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) boosted with an "as soon as possible" update issued. The Labour Party MP and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall has spoken out.

Her comments came after a question from Horsham Liberal Democrats MP John Milne, who said: "Really appreciate that you've taken rapid action on the infected blood scandal and the Horizon scandal to sort out compensation there. WASPI women, however, a noticeable absence of, shall we say, these hang-overs from the last administration.

"I think what people would really like to know is when do you think you can address it... be it next year or, what plans do you have?" The Secretary of State replied: "I want to respond to this as soon as possible. I know how long this issue has taken, even the Ombudsman took six years to do his report [and then] it wasn't responded to by the previous government.

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"I know, and I know there are some of the WASPI women here today in the committee, I met the WASPI campaign when I was a shadow Secretary of State, the Pensions Minister has met the campaigners, I think the first minister to do so for six years or longer.

"I want this resolved as quickly as possible but this is, again, extremely complicated, lots of information to go through and we need to get it right, but I want this resolved as soon as possible." MP Milne again asked for a "timescale", but was told: "I can't give you any more, if I gave you a date then I'd have sorted it. It needs to be sorted, I will do it as soon as humanly possible."

Campaigners say they are not against the equalisation, but that they "do not accept the unfair way the changes to our pensions were implemented with inadequate or no notice".