Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministerial Statement

Women’s State Pension Age Communication PHSO Report 2026-01-29

29 January 2026 · 20 other contributors

Opened by Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden Lab Labour

Benefits & Welfare

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden raised concerns about women’s state pension age communication phso report 2026-01-29 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • Government reviewed evidence including a 2007 study on unsolicited pensions letters
  • Government apologises for the delay in sending individual letters
  • Government concludes earlier letters would not significantly change what women knew about their state pension age

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Government Statement

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden

Today, I am addressing the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report regarding the communication of state pension age changes to women born in the 1950s. The Government has reviewed all evidence, including a 2007 study on the effectiveness of unsolicited pensions letters, to make this decision. We accept that individual letters could have been sent earlier and apologise for the delay. However, we conclude that an earlier letter would not significantly impact what women knew about their state pension age changes due to existing public information campaigns. Compensation schemes would be impractical given the scale and complexity of verifying individual circumstances. The Government's decision remains consistent with previous decisions in December 2024. Future communication strategies are being developed with the ombudsman, emphasising the importance of careful consideration for any future state pension age changes. We continue to focus on improving lives for pensioners, especially women on lower incomes, by increasing pension credit uptake and maintaining the triple lock.

Other contributors (20)
  • Mark Garnier Con Wyre Forest

    Question

    Does today’s announcement provide a better deal for WASPI women?

    Minister reply

    The Government has reviewed the evidence and believes that not compensating WASPI women is fair due to impracticalities in verifying individual circumstances, despite previous promises made by government members.

  • Barry Gardiner Lab Brent West

    Question

    The Secretary of State chose to mention the triple lock in his statement and to say that the state pension will go up by up to £575 this year, with incomes expected to rise by up to £2,100 a year by the end of this Parliament. Is he implying that the triple lock is about to be capped? Will he confirm that he is apparently U-turning on the Government’s policy on the triple lock by imposing a cap?

    Minister reply

    I am grateful for the hon. Gentleman’s questions. He is right that there has been a forceful and energetic campaign, which resulted in lots of emails and contact with Members across the House, but his Government had this report from the ombudsman. They could have taken a decision before the election, but they chose not to, as with so many other issues.

  • Pat McFadden

    Question

    I am grateful for my hon. Friend’s question, and I understand what he says, but it is also important to consider exactly what is at issue here. Many people are unhappy with the rise in the state pension age and the decision to equalise it, and this decision does not deal with that. The decision deals with the specific issue of how it was communicated over a specific period of time.

    Minister reply

    The hon. Member is certainly right about my allegiance to both Celtic and Bruce Springsteen, but there is no illusion about the position of the Liberal Democrats. He says, with a tinge of regret, that he wishes that they were in government, but they were in government —and that is the point.

  • Chi Onwurah Lab Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West

    Question

    The Secretary of State knows just how disappointing many will find this statement, particularly the WASPI women who feel so strongly the injustice that they have suffered. I appreciate that he has set out the reasons in principle and in practice and explained how the Labour Government will support low-income pensioners, but I want to talk about the personal aspect.

    Minister reply

    My hon. Friend is right to say that as the state pension age has gone up, the way people have been affected is influenced by the kind of lives they have led and the toughness of the work that they have done.

  • Mark Pritchard Con The Wrekin

    Question

    The Secretary of State is a fellow west midlands Member of Parliament, and he will know Shropshire very well. Many WASPI women born in the 1950s from my constituency will be very disappointed by today’s announcement.

    Minister reply

    I am grateful to my west midlands colleague for his question. He talks about disappointment. The shadow Minister could have, in the time allocated to him, promised to take a different decision were the Conservatives ever to return to power.

  • Jon Trickett Lab Normanton and Hemsworth

    Question

    There are 300,000 WASPI women in Yorkshire and 6,500 in my constituency. In Yorkshire we believe that politicians should say what they mean and mean what they say.

    Minister reply

    My hon. Friend is right to remind the House that we were opposed to the acceleration.

  • John Glen Con Salisbury

    Question

    I welcome the Government’s apology for the maladministration and the Minister’s clarity today, but many Salisbury WASPI women will be very disappointed by the decision. Could the Secretary of State say a little more about what options he looked at to compensate the poorest, most vulnerable of the WASPI women?

    Minister reply

    I am grateful for my hon. Friend’s question.

  • Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett

    Question

    This is a disappointing statement. How has this decision been communicated to the WASPI group?

    Minister reply

    I came to the House in November to inform Members that I would retake the decision, looking at relevant evidence and reaching a conclusion which I am announcing today.

  • Tessa Munt LD Wells and Mendip Hills

    Question

    Why have the Government chosen to accept one half of the ombudsman’s recommendations but not the other?

    Minister reply

    We accept the finding of maladministration. However, a majority of women knew their state pension age was increasing based on survey evidence, and compensating them would cost up to £10 billion.

  • Mary Glindon Lab Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend

    Question

    Does the Secretary of State think there would have been a massive campaign if women had known about their pensions?

    Minister reply

    A decision document has been placed in the Library of the House which sets out all evidence considered. The coalition Government's steep acceleration of pension age led to this situation.

  • Kirsty Blackman SNP Aberdeen North

    Question

    Is this the change that the Labour Government promised when they came in last year?

    Minister reply

    We have protected and increased the state pension, and our extra help for poorer pensioners is important. Most people knew their state pension age was increasing based on survey evidence.

  • Patricia Ferguson Lab Glasgow West

    Question

    What conversations has he had with the ombudsman about his decision? What communication has he had with WASPI women?

    Minister reply

    I announced in November that I was retaking the decision, and pledged to come back to announce it here first. Women who paid 'the small stamp' are why we moved away from the old system.

  • Rachel Gilmour LD Tiverton and Minehead

    Question

    Is this simply gaslighting by the Labour Government?

    Minister reply

    We opposed the acceleration of the change to the state pension age. The ombudsman examined when letters were sent over a time period, and we have learned that increases should be announced in good time.

  • Melanie Onn Lab Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes

    Question

    Why do these women need to accept this outcome?

    Minister reply

    The equalisation of the state pension age produced opposition, but compensating everyone in this age group would end up compensating many who knew their pension age was increasing.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Question

    Can you suggest any methodology for elderly people to know that every penny they get will not be lost in tax beforehand?

    Minister reply

    There is no specific response provided by the minister regarding this suggestion.

  • Kirsteen Sullivan Lab/Co-op Bathgate and Linlithgow

    Question

    I thank my right hon. Friend for his statement, and the repeated apology on behalf of the Government. I have long supported WASPI women and commend their perseverance over many years. Has he considered the impact of the decision on perceptions and the efficacy of the ombudsman's recommendation that compensation be paid?

    Minister reply

    We take the role of the ombudsman seriously, but decisions on a compensation scheme of this scale will always ultimately be for Ministers to make.

  • Douglas McAllister Lab West Dunbartonshire

    Question

    My 6,000 WASPI women will be very angry about this decision. Will today’s announcement mean that legal proceedings challenging the Government’s original decision will continue? What plans do we have to avoid legal proceedings?

    Minister reply

    The initiation of legal proceedings is not a decision for me; it is a matter for others. My responsibility is to set out our decision properly, and I believe I have done so today.

  • Samantha Niblett Lab South Derbyshire

    Question

    In my constituency, there are 5,400 women affected by this decision. While acknowledging the difficulties of paying £10.3 billion in flat-rate payments, is there not something we can do to acknowledge the campaigning of these women whom we have supported for many years?

    Minister reply

    An individual scheme would face great practical difficulties in ascertaining who did and did not get a letter, among other issues.

  • John McDonnell Lab Hayes and Harlington

    Question

    Given the significance of this matter, can time be found over the next fortnight for a full and comprehensive debate on this issue in Parliament?

    Minister reply

    The timing of statements is a matter for the Government. However, Members can apply for a Backbench Business debate to reflect the concerns of their constituents.

Shadow Comment

Mark Garnier

The shadow Minister criticises the Government's decision not to compensate WASPI women. He points out that Labour MPs previously acknowledged the injustice faced by these women but now refuse compensation due to cost concerns and poor financial management. The statement is seen as an attempt to avoid criticism from absent MPs on a sitting day when most are not present. Garnier questions if today’s announcement provides a better deal for WASPI women, given previous promises made by government members, and challenges the Secretary of State to take accountability for past mistakes under Labour before 2010.

▸ Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy