Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

State Pension Changes: Women Born in the 1950s

Monday 12 October 2026 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government opposed the 2011 acceleration of state pension age, which affected women born in the 1950s
  • Government has written to WASPI representatives to set out its position
  • Previous Government did not proceed with a compensation scheme for affected women

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Brian Leishman
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

Women born in the 1950s have been affected by state pension changes, leading to financial insecurity. Over 3.5 million women are impacted, and the situation is urgent as another woman dies every 13 minutes without receiving fairness or justice.

Question

What steps is the government taking to support women born in the 1950s who have been affected by state pension changes? Time is crucial, and another WASPI woman dies every 13 minutes on average, without receiving fairness or justice.

Answer from Torsten Bell

We opposed the 2011 acceleration of the state pension age, which gave some women as little as five years' notice. Those women faced disadvantages in the workplace and uneven burdens of caring responsibilities. I have written to WASPI representatives to set out the Government's position. Further comment is not appropriate due to ongoing legal proceedings.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The exact timeline and details of the meeting with WASPI campaigners were not provided.

How: Legal Proceedings Ongoing, Further Comment Is Not Appropriate

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Q2 Brian Leishman
Benefits & Welfare
Context

More than 3.5 million women were affected by the state pension age change, with another WASPI woman dying every 13 minutes without receiving fairness or justice. The Prime Minister assured campaigners that he would meet to discuss potential routes to redress.

Question

What actions is the Department taking to support the Prime Minister in discussions with WASPI campaigners and when will the meeting happen?

Answer from Torsten Bell

The Government has written to WASPI representatives to set out the Government's position. Further comment is not appropriate due to ongoing legal proceedings.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The exact timeline and details of the meeting were not provided.

How: Legal Proceedings Ongoing, Further Comment Is Not Appropriate

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Q3 Roger Gale Con North Thanet
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The ombudsman reported on this matter several years ago, and the last Government agreed to accept the recommendations of the ombudsman. Many affected women will be dead before they see any compensation.

Question

When will the Government stop messing around and do something? The last Government agreed to accept the recommendations of the ombudsman, but no compensation scheme was put in place.

Answer from Torsten Bell

This Government has considered the case set out by the ombudsman and provided a detailed response. The previous Government did not proceed with a compensation scheme, and the ombudsman laid their report before Parliament, indicating the previous Government's stance.

Not addressed: The questioner's direct request for action was not addressed.

How: Previous Government Did Not Proceed With A Compensation Scheme, The Previous Government'S Stance

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