One in four women born in the 1950s are struggling with food bills and the cost of everyday essentials according to new research from the Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) campaign.
Surveying more than 7,000 so-called Waspi women, it found 45 per cent of respondents saying they’ve been unable to pay household bills in the last six months, with one in four struggling to afford food and other basics.
Meanwhile, one in three women pensioners report experiencing debt in the last six months. The campaign group said thousands of women in this cohort said not knowing about increases to their state pension age was a direct cause of their current financial hardships.
Waspi women had their state pension age increased from 60 to 66 by the Department of Work and Pensions. However, the campaign group claims the DWP failed to adequately communicate the change to affected women, meaning many did not have the chance to alter their retirement plans.
The survey shows that close to 30 percent of affected women had already left work by the time they found out their state pension age had moved from 60 to 66. A similar proportion (32 percent) of those asked were unable to find new employment opportunities after leaving the workplace.
The research occurs amid a Parliamentary Ombudsman investigation into the handling of the state pension age hike by the DWP.
The first stage of this investigation found clear ‘maladministration’ in the way the DWP communicated – or failed to communicate – state pension age changes to affected women. Some women received only 12 months’ notice of a six increase to their state pension age.
The Ombudsman recently received a letter from 43 cross-party MPs demanding further investigation into this issue, with any redress due paid promptly. Politicians calling for compensation include Conservative DEFRA secretary, Ranil Jayawardena, former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron, former Labour Party xhair, Ian Lavery and the Green’s Caroline Lucas.
Chair of the Waspi campaign Angela Madden says: “We’ve been completely overwhelmed by the response from 1950s-born women to our latest survey, showing the lasting impact of not being informed about state pension age changes.
“We’re also saddened by the latest findings from affected women which show this cohort is amongst the worst affected by the cost-of-living crisis. All their retirement savings have been used and many are desperately awaiting the fast and fair compensation they deserve.
“The damning impact on Waspi women is clearer than ever before and as the Parliamentary Ombudsman reviews it’s investigation into the Department for Work and Pensions, it’s vital they take into account the full diversity of women’s experiences and the irreversible damage that has been caused.”
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