The pressure on Andy Burnham over WASPI compensation just went up a notch. MPs from ten different parties have written to the Prime Minister asking him to set out a plan to compensate women born in the 1950s who were hit by changes to the State Pension age.
It’s a rare sight in Westminster. Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Green and SNP politicians, along with several smaller parties, have all put their names to the same letter.
But there’s no payout yet, and no sign of one in the official position. Here’s what the letter asks for, how we got here, and where things could go next.
What the letter asks for
The letter was led by Labour MP Rebecca Long-Bailey, co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension Inequality for Women, and long-serving Conservative MP Sir John Hayes.
Other signatories include Steve Darling, the Liberal Democrats’ work and pensions spokesperson, and the Westminster leaders of the SNP, DUP, Green Party, SDLP, Your Party, Alliance and UUP.
Their message is simple: the Prime Minister should set out plans for compensation, and do it soon. Long-Bailey said 1950s-born women have waited far too long and the issue isn’t going away. Darling welcomed Burnham’s promise to meet campaigners but said “warm words are not enough”, and called for a compensation plan this autumn.
The WASPI campaign also points to new polling by Stack Data Strategy of more than 10,000 people. It found 47% support compensation, against 13% who oppose it.
How we got here
WASPI stands for Women Against State Pension Inequality. The campaign represents women born in the 1950s whose State Pension age went up from 60, first to 65 to match men and later to 66.
The campaign has never argued that the change itself was wrong. Its case is about how it was communicated. Many women say they weren’t told in time to plan, and some had to rethink their retirement at very short notice.
Here’s how the fight for compensation has played out:
- March 2024: After a six-year investigation, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman found the DWP was guilty of maladministration. It said affected women should get compensation and suggested amounts between £1,000 and £2,950 each.
- December 2024: The government accepted there had been maladministration and apologised, but turned down compensation.
- December 2025: The government agreed to look again after a 2007 DWP evaluation came to light that the previous minister hadn’t seen.
- January 29, 2026: Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden told MPs the answer was still no. He said most women already knew about the change, a targeted scheme wasn’t practical, and a flat-rate scheme could cost up to £10.3 billion.
Roughly 3.6 million women were affected by the changes.
Where Andy Burnham stands
This is why campaigners think they have a chance now. Burnham has backed the WASPI cause for years. As Mayor of Greater Manchester, he called the government’s refusal to pay compensation a clear injustice.
His position has shifted since he moved toward Downing Street, though. In June, during the Makerfield by-election campaign, he told activists the women deserved some recompense. Within a day, his team clarified that he accepted the final decision on financial compensation had been made, while saying he was open to other kinds of support along the lines of schemes used in Greater Manchester, such as discounted travel.
WASPI chair Angela Madden says Burnham met her during that campaign and promised to sit down and discuss fair redress. The group wrote to him and the Chancellor in August asking for talks, and says it is ready to work on a solution that is fair to both the women and taxpayers.
The DWP’s official line hasn’t changed. A spokesperson pointed back to the government’s statement to Parliament, which accepted maladministration and apologised, and said its focus is now on improving how it communicates State Pension changes in future.
What happens next
For now, nothing has changed for the women involved. The government’s official position is still no compensation, and no scheme has been announced.
The next moment to watch is the Budget on Wednesday, October 28. Campaigners and the MPs behind the letter want a plan this autumn, but there has been no signal that WASPI payouts will be in it. Any change would most likely start with the meeting Burnham has promised campaigners.
If you were born in the 1950s and think you might be affected, there’s nothing you need to do or apply for right now. Be wary of anyone who contacts you claiming you can “register” for a WASPI payout or asks for your bank details. No compensation scheme exists, so any such message is a scam.
We’ll update this story if the government changes its position.
Sources: Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, UK Parliament statements on WASPI compensation