Jeff Smith supports fair and fast compensation for 1950s women after the hardship caused by pension loss. The accelerated timescale in the Pensions Act 2011 has meant women unable to get the pensions they expected, and sadly many women are dying before being able to see a resolution to this issue.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) found in July 2021 that the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) failed to communicate “with enough urgency” the changes that have left many women waiting up to six years longer for their state pension. The PHSO concluded that the DWP “should have written to the women affected at least 28 months earlier than it did”.

In an update in August 2022, the PHSO confirmed that it was continuing work on its investigation into how the DWP communicated the changes to the women’s SPA, and related issues. In its announcement, the PHSO also stated it was “going to begin considering what action we think DWP should take to remedy the apparent injustice.” The PHSO is clear that it cannot restore the situation before 2011 or require the DWP to reimburse the full amount of State Pension had the women’s SPA not changed. However the PHSO has not ruled out recommending the DWP pay out some compensation

Jeff Smith says: “I have supported the WASPI women’s campaign for years while they’ve been facing hardship. While the details of suggested compensation from PHSO are yet to come, it is vital that the government implement recommendations on this matter quickly and fairly. More widely, I believe that everyone should have clear, transparent information about what their pension entitlement is and how they can successfully plan for their future and organise their own lives and finances.”