Andy Burnham has ruled out paying compensation to the 'Waspi women' who claim they lost out due to changes to the state pension age, but said he was open to the idea of giving them other benefits.
Background on Waspi Women
The Waspi (Women Against State Pension Inequality) campaign involves as many as 3.6 million women born in the 1950s. They argue they were ill-informed about changes to the state pension age, which was accelerated from 60 to 65 and then to 66 by the coalition government. Many claim they lost thousands of pounds and were left with unaffordable retirement plans.
Burnham's Previous Stance
Burnham had previously indicated support for compensating these women. At a hustings event for the Makerfield byelection on Wednesday, he was reported to have said he would 'stick by the Waspi women because they deserve some recompense for the unfairness.' He criticized the government for seeming to renege on promises made to the Waspi women, noting that compensation was not in the Labour manifesto but had been repeatedly backed by Labour MPs.
Backlash and Change of Position
However, on Thursday, after a backlash over the billions a compensation scheme would cost, a spokeswoman for the Greater Manchester mayor clarified his position. She stated that Burnham considered the compensation case closed but believed there might be other gestures to help the affected generation. The spokesperson told the Financial Times: 'He accepts the final decision has been made in relation to financial compensation but has indicated an openness to considering similar schemes on the Greater Manchester model.'
Proposed Alternative Benefits
Burnham's team suggested he had intended to look at other offers such as subsidised transport. The spokesperson noted that he had 'supported Waspi women in the city-region with early access to concessionary travel, providing some recompense to them within affordability limits.'
Government's Position
Ministers said last year they would not give any compensation to the women affected, despite a ruling by the parliamentary and health service ombudsman in March 2024 that they should be compensated. The government has argued that any flat-rate compensation scheme paid out to all women born in the 1950s would cost up to £10.3 billion and 'would simply not be right or fair' given most women said they were aware of the changes.
Campaigners' Response
Campaigners remain disappointed, saying many women did not receive the required communication about the change and some discovered their state pension age had increased by several years only after giving up work. The Waspi campaigners are supported by large numbers of Labour MPs in opposition and by parties including the Liberal Democrats.
Burnham, who is attempting to return to Westminster with his eyes on No 10, has long supported the campaign. He said at the hustings: 'I have long supported the campaign. And I feel uncomfortable when politicians were all holding up that sort of banner and then it got into government and didn’t do anything. So I stick by the campaigns that I support. I stuck by the Hillsborough families. I’ll stick by the Waspi women because they deserve some recompense for the unfairness.'
