More than 157,000 people have signed an online petition calling for compensation for women born in the 1950s

Members of Parliament will debate whether women born in the 1950s will receive compensation after changes to their state pension age were made. The petition, which has been signed over 157,000 times, was posted on the petitions-parliament website by Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign (WASPI) director, Jane Cowley.

The parliamentary debate, scheduled for Monday, March 17, will address calls to “fairly compensate” women born in the 1950s. However, the WASPI campaign were quick to highlight the outcome of the debate “isn’t binding” but is an “opportunity for all MPs to show support for compensation and upholding the PHSO (Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman) recommendations” outlined in its final report, published in March last year.

In the post on X (formerly Twitter), the WASPI campaign said: “There will be a debate on our petition on March 17. This isn’t binding on the government, but is an opportunity for all MPs to show support for compensation and upholding the PHSO recommendations. Please write to your MP, ask them to attend and speak up for compensation for their #WASPI constituents.”

After a six-year investigation into complaints made against the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the PHSO found that affected 1950s-born women should have had at least 28 months’ more individual notice from the UK Government on planned changes to their State Pension age, the Daily Record reports.

The PHSO also said that for women who were not aware of the changes, the opportunity that additional notice would have given them to adjust their retirement plans was lost due to delay. The report stated that “parliament must urgently identify a mechanism for providing that appropriate remedy” and recommended compensation equivalent to Level four on its banding scale, which is worth between £1,000 and £2,950.

However, the UK Government ruled out providing a compensation scheme for an estimated 3.8 million women despite numerous Labour politicians, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall, supporting campaigners while in opposition.

In December, Ms Kendall told MPs there would be “no scheme of financial compensation” for those affected by changes to the official age of retirement. In the statement to Parliament, the Secretary of State admitted there was maladministration by the DWP and apologised to all women impacted by changes to their retirement age on behalf of the UK Government.

The DWP boss went on to explain the reasoning behind the UK Government’s decision, which focused on research showing that the ‘vast majority of women’ approaching State Pension age were aware of upcoming retirement changes.

Ms Kendall also said that to implement the redress scheme suggested by the PHSO would cost taxpayers between £3.5 – £10.5 billion.

The announcement came as a huge blow to all women affected by the age changes who firmly believed a Labour Government would support their campaign for compensation.

Shortly after the announcement during Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir Starmer told MPs that “90 per cent of women were aware of the changes” to their State Pension age which campaigners branded “misleading” and a distortion of the facts.

The DWP responded to the ‘Introduce a compensation scheme for WASPI women’ petition on December 9 and Liz Kendall made the announcement to Parliament on December 17.

You can read the petition and the DWP’s response on the petitions-parliament website here.

The Liberal Democrats and Greens north of the border have joined with the Scottish Government to call for compensation for all 1950-born women affected by changes to their State Pension age. The parties, alongside Scottish Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville, co-signed a letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at the end of last month.

In the letter, co-signed by Scottish Green co-leader Lorna Slater and Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton, Ms Somerville said: “All MSPs in the Scottish Parliament were united with one voice that these women deserve compensation.

“Members across the chamber were clear that the delays and injustice our Waspi women have suffered must end and the UK Government must deliver on the PHSO recommendations.

“Therefore, in light of this unanimous vote I, along with the leaders of the Scottish Green Party and Scottish Liberal Democrats, urge you to reverse your position on this matter and deliver compensation immediately.

“It is time for the current UK Government to finally right the wrongs of the past and deliver justice for the Waspi women. I look forward to hearing from you on this matter.”