WASPI women have said they feel "totally abandoned" by the UK Government, with a new poll showing around nine in 10 think Labour have taken their votes for granted.
As the campaign approaches a decade since it was launched, a snap survey of more than 5000 1950s-born women affected by changes to the state pension found a collapse in support for the main political parties following ministers’ failure to provide compensation.
Almost 90% of Waspi women said their votes have been taken for granted by the Labour Party, following supportive pledges from hundreds of MPs prior to last year’s General Election.
More than 80% of affected women say both Labour and Conservative do not care about Waspi women.
The failure by successive governments to compensate those affected seems to have sparked some apathy. When asked how they would vote if there were a General Election tomorrow, two in five said they were either unsure or would not bother voting at all.
However, despite widespread dissatisfaction with the nation’s political leaders, the research shows that many affected women are more determined than ever to influence the political debate.
More than half (51%) of Waspi women say they feel more motivated to vote at the next election, while a similar figure say they have become more politically active since the UK Government’s refusal to pay compensation in December 2024.
“After 10 years of campaigning, this generation of women are more determined than ever to secure the justice we are due.
“Despite the hopes of some, we are not going away. We know hundreds of MPs across the political parties back our calls for fair compensation, as do an overwhelming majority of the public.
“Ministers should heed the calls of many of their own MPs and get around the table with Waspi women, or face being forced to defend the indefensible in court later this year.”
The findings come as Waspi campaigners mark a decade of campaigning, a period which has seen six prime ministers and nine pensions ministers.
Government lawyers are set to be hauled before High Court judges later this year, after campaigners secured a judicial review into the Department for Work and Pensions’ refusal to compensate Waspi women.
If successful, the case could see ministers forced back to the drawing board on their response to the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s (PHSO) report which recommended a compensation scheme.
The PHSO investigated complaints that, since 1995, the DWP failed to provide accurate, adequate and timely information about areas of state pension reform.
It recommended compensation at a level of between £1000 and £2950 per person, as well as saying the DWP should acknowledge its failings and apologise.
In December, Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall told the Commons that the proposed payment scheme was not “fair or value for taxpayers’ money”.
This response from Labour was described as “extremely unusual” by the ombudsman, adding the party had "undermined" its report.
It highlighted a 99.9% compliance rate for it recommendations and warned the watchdog would become a “toothless tiger if Parliament steps away from supporting us when there isn’t compliance".
It hit back at Labour's claim that 90% of women knew their state pension age was changing, saying this was contradictory to the minister's apology, adding this acted as a “red herring” in the Government’s decision not to compensate.
