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Daily Mirror
12-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
DWP state pension age rising next year for people born in these years
The state pension age - which is when you can claim the DWP's state pension - is 66 years old for both men and women. However, it will be rising next year Thousands of older Brits are set to be impacted when the state pension age rises next year. Currently, the state pension age is 66 years for both men and women. This means you can start claiming the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) state pension payment from this age. However, next year, it will start gradually increasing, rising to 67 years old from April. This transition process is then expected to be completed for everyone by March 2028. The planned change to the official age of retirement was brought into legislation under the Pensions Act 2014, with a further rise from 67 to 68 set to be implemented between 2044 and 2046. It also changed the way it would be implemented, introducing a gradual increase as opposed to a one-specific date increase. Under the current plans, people born between March 6, 1961, and April 5, 1977, will claim their state pension once they reach 67, so they will need to work one year longer than those born earlier. It's important to understand these changes, particularly if you are approaching the current state pension age and have retirement plans. The DWP will, however, contact all those affected by the rise over the coming months. The last increase to the state pension age was introduced in December 2018 when it started to rise from 65 to 66. Get the best deals and tips from Mirror Money WHATSAPP GROUP: Get money news and top deals straight to your phone by joining our Money WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. This was then completed by October 2020, and those affected by this change were women born on or after April 6, 1953 or a man born on or after December 6, 1953. The next rise to 68 would impact those born after April 1977. However, the plans may change. Under the Pensions Act, the state pension age is reviewed once every five years. The review often returns recommendations that the government either accepts, rejects, or comments on. The 2017 review suggested that the rise to 68 should be brought forward to 2037-39, which would affect those born between April 6, 1970, and April 5, 1978. Join Money Saving Club's specialist topics For all you savvy savers and bargain hunters out there, there's a golden opportunity to stretch your pounds further. The Money Saving Club newsletter, a favourite among thousands who thrive on catching the best deals, is stepping up its game. Simply follow the link and select one or more of the following topics to get all the latest deals and advice on: Travel; Property; Pets, family and home; Personal finance; Shopping and discounts; Utilities. However, the 2022 review recommended a slower increase to 68 in 2041-43 and also suggested a possible rise to 69 in 2046-48. The former Tory government acknowledged the recommendations but delayed the decision, promising to hold another review within two years of the next parliament. The next review will be held under Labour. You can check your state pension age using the online tool at it is free to use, and all you need to do is enter your birthday. You can also use the tool to check: When you will reach state pension age Your Pension Credit qualifying age When you will be eligible for free bus travel - this is at age 60 in Scotland Sign up to Mirror Money's newsletter for the latest advice and news
The National
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Dozens of Labour MPs 'could lose seats' in Waspi backlash, data says
The data from the Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) group shows more then 300 MPs across the UK have majorities smaller than the number of WASPI women living in their are, with many of those seats won by Labour for the first time in over a decade last year. The group says around 20 Labour MPs are in "extremely vulnerable positions" given there are at least 5000 more Waspi women in their constituencies than the size of their majority. Meanwhile, 133 MPs sitting on the Labour benches have a difference of at least 1000. The Scottish MPs deemed to be "at risk" according to the data include Elaine Stewart, Irene Campbell, Chris Murray, John Grady, Zubir Ahmed and Martin Rhodes. READ MORE: BBC Debate Night audience brands Kneecap row a 'distraction' The parliamentary ombudsman recommended in March last year that women born in the 1950s affected by increases to the state pension age be handed compensation of between £1000 and £2950 per person. The Labour Government offered Waspi women an apology, but opted not to hand out any compensation arguing it would be too much of a burden on the taxpayer – behaviour which was subsequently described as 'extremely unusual' by the ombudsman. The ombudsman highlighted a 99.9% compliance rate for its recommendations and warned the watchdog would become a 'toothless tiger if Parliament steps away from supporting us when there isn't compliance". So far, nearly 50 Labour MPs have publicly hit out at the UK Government's decision not to compensate Waspi women. (Image: Andy Buchanan/PA Wire) Angela Madden, Waspi chair, said of the data: "These results are a seismic blow for ministers and make grim reading for anyone who thinks they can take the votes of an entire generation of women for granted. 'The failure of Labour to compensate Waspi women – and indeed some opposition parties in properly challenging their decision – undermines the public's confidence in our institutions and creates a significant electoral risk. 'With women affected by DWP failures now forced to haul the Government before the High Court, ministers must stop defending the indefensible – we need justice now.' Last month, Waspi campaigners confirmed they had filed for a High Court judicial review following the Government's decision. The 1995 Pensions Act and subsequent legislation raised the state pension age for women born on or after April 6 1950. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) investigated complaints that, since 1995, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) failed to provide accurate, adequate and timely information about areas of state pension reform. The DWP's handling of the pension age changes meant some women lost opportunities to make informed decisions about their finances. It diminished their sense of personal autonomy and financial control, the ombudsman said.
Daily Mirror
24-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Martin Lewis says 'do not click' in urgent compensation warning to WASPI women
The Money Saving Expert (MSE) founder has teamed up with campaigners and leading charities including Independent Age, to bring awareness to the "disgraceful" rise in online WASPI compensation scams Martin Lewis has issued a fresh warning as the "steep rise" in WASPI compensation scams risks thousands of pension-age women across the UK falling victim. The Money Saving Expert (MSE) founder has teamed up with campaigners and leading charities including Independent Age, to bring awareness to the "disgraceful" rise in online scams. Scams seen by the group include fraudulent websites claiming that compensation is available, alongside emails targeting 1950s-born women asking them to disclose personal information. One website falsely claimed that 'DWP announces £3,000 compensation for 3.8 million WASPI women' while another labelled itself as a ' Martin Lewis WASPI Calculator'. At least one WASPI woman in Derbyshire reported that she had been asked to provide copies of her birth certificate and bank details through an online form, before realising it was a scam. More than 3.6 million women were affected by the Department for Work and Pensions ' (DWP) failure to inform them of increases to their State Pension age properly. The Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) group was launched in 2015 and represents women born in the 1950s. In 1995, the Government announced changes to raise the women's state pension age from 60 to 65, to make it the same as the men state pension age. Originally the plan was to phase in the rise between 2010 and 2020, however, the coalition Government accelerated the shift in 2011 in a bid to reduce the cost of the state pension system. The new pension age for women was introduced in 2018. Further increases were introduced as part of the Pensions Act in 2011, which accelerated the rise to 66 for everyone from 2020. The five-year investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) looked into alleged failures by the DWP, and last year, the final report was published. This report confirmed the Ombudsman did find failures by the DWP, noting that "too many" people didn't understand how the new state pension affected them personally and ruled that "women affected are owed compensation payments". However, the government is yet to set out a compensation scheme for those affected. With a High Court challenge by WASPI campaigners currently in progress, the group say opportunist scammers have seized on unsuspecting women affected by the "pension fiasco." Join Money Saving Club's specialist topics For all you savvy savers and bargain hunters out there, there's a golden opportunity to stretch your pounds further. The Money Saving Club newsletter, a favourite among thousands who thrive on catching the best deals, is stepping up its game. Simply follow the link and select one or more of the following topics to get all the latest deals and advice on: Travel; Property; Pets, family and home; Personal finance; Shopping and discounts; Utilities. WASPI Chair Angela Madden said recent days had seen an 'alarming spike' in the number of scams, saying the behaviour of those preying on vulnerable women is 'nothing short of disgraceful'. She said any announcement on compensation for WASPI women would only ever come from the Government. Madden said: 'WASPI has fielded dozens of queries from women following an alarming spike in fraudulent websites appearing in recent days. 'The need for compensation is so urgent that it is the most vulnerable women who are at risk from scammers. The behaviour of opportunists who seek to exploit them is nothing short of disgraceful. 'Any announcement on compensation will only ever come from the Government. Anybody who has shared sensitive information or feels they are at risk should contact Action Fraud.' Martin Lewis added: 'The word scammers underplays the danger, of what are often organised criminal gangs using psychologically adept tactics to steal from people. They leach on to anything they can find, and compensation over the change in state pension age seems to be a new trend. 'Even if they're not asking for money, they could be trying to take your information as part of a wider fraud. Be incredibly careful, don't click advertising or other links on social media, unless it is from a validated trusted source. 'And to be very plain, I don't do adverts nor allow anyone to use my name for endorsements. All my information will always be on my site so if you can't find it there, and see it elsewhere, it's very likely a scam.'
Sky News
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Waspi women threaten government with legal action over refusal to pay compensation
Waspi campaigners have threatened legal action against the government unless it reconsiders its decision to reject compensation. In December, the government said it would not be compensating millions of women born in the 1950s - known as Waspi women - who say they were not given sufficient warning of the state pension age for women being lifted from 60 to 65. It was due to be phased in over 10 years from 2010, but in 2011 was sped up to be reached by 2018, then rose to the age of 66 in 2020. A watchdog had recommended that compensation be paid to those affected, but Sir Keir Starmer said at the time that taxpayers could not afford what could have been a £10.5bn package. 2:26 On Monday, the Waspi campaign said it had sent a "letter before action" to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) warning the government of High Court proceedings if no action is taken. Angela Madden, chair of Waspi (Women Against State Pension Inequality) campaign group, said members will not allow the DWP's "gaslighting" of victims to go "unchallenged". She said: "The government has accepted that 1950s-born women are victims of maladministration, but it now says none of us suffered any injustice. We believe this is not only an outrage but legally wrong. "We have been successful before and we are confident we will be again. But what would be better for everyone is if the Secretary of State (Liz Kendall) now saw sense and came to the table to sort out a compensation package. "The alternative is continued defence of the indefensible but this time in front of a judge." The group has launched a £75,000 CrowdJustice campaign to fund legal action, and said the government has 14 days to respond before the case is filed. In the mid-1990s, the government passed a law to raise the retirement age for women over a 10-year period to make it equal to men. The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government in the early 2010s under David Cameron and Nick Clegg then sped up the timetable as part of its cost-cutting measures. In 2011, a new Pensions Act was introduced that not only shortened the timetable to increase the women's pension age to 65 by two years but also raised the overall pension age to 66 by October 2020 - saving the government around £30bn. About 3.6 million women in the UK were affected - as many complained they weren't appropriately notified of the changes and some only received letters about it 14 years after the legislation passed. While in opposition, Rachel Reeves, now the chancellor, and Liz Kendall, now pensions secretary, were among several Labour MPs who supported the Waspi women's campaign. The now-Chancellor said in a 2016 debate that women affected by the increase in state pension age had been "done and injustice" and urged the government to "think again". A government spokesperson said: "We accept the Ombudsman's finding of maladministration and have apologised for there being a 28-month delay in writing to 1950s-born women. "However, evidence showed only one in four people remember reading and receiving letters that they weren't expecting and that by 2006, 90% of 1950s-born women knew that the state pension age was changing. "Earlier letters wouldn't have affected this. For these and other reasons, the government cannot justify paying for a £10.5 billion compensation scheme at the expense of the taxpayer."
