WASPI Campaign Gears Up for Crucial DWP Compensation Update After Legal Victory

The WASPI campaign for compensation from the Department for Work and Pensions has taken a significant step forward after a crucial legal win. With a parliamentary debate scheduled next week, the focus now turns to the fight for financial redress.

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A crucial debate in Parliament next week will address calls for financial redress for the women affected by the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) mishandling of the State Pension, as the legal battle for compensation continues. 

This debate, scheduled for July 3, follows a major development in the case: the costs capping order that ensures WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) campaigners are no longer at risk of crippling legal fees. The compensation fight is rooted in the DWP’s maladministration of pension reforms that impacted women born in the 1950s. 

WASPI women have been campaigning for a financial settlement after an Ombudsman report published last year confirmed that the government failed to properly notify many women about changes to their pension age. With the legal battle ongoing, next week’s debate in Parliament marks a significant moment in their struggle.

Government Agrees to Costs Capping Order

A breakthrough moment for WASPI came when the government agreed to a costs capping order, a crucial step in securing the future of the campaign’s legal challenge. The costs cap protects the women from the potential financial burden of losing the case, which could have included extensive legal fees from government lawyers. 

According to WASPI representatives, the government had initially resisted any form of cost protection. However, after submitting an extensive application to the court, including numerous witness statements and supporting documents, WASPI’s legal team succeeded in convincing the court to grant the order.

WASPI’s campaign leader, Angela Madden, noted that this decision was a “massive step forward” for the cause, providing them with the assurance that they can proceed without fearing bankruptcy. 

The legal team’s success is seen as an important step in continuing their fight for justice, despite earlier setbacks in negotiations with the Government Legal Department.

Legal Fight to Continue Despite Hurdles

While the costs capping order is a significant victory, the legal battle for compensation is far from over. WASPI women still face an uncertain road ahead, as the High Court prepares to hear the judicial review later this year.

With this new order in place, they can now focus on the legal merits of their case without worrying about escalating financial risks. WASPI has called for continued support from the public to help fund their ongoing legal costs.

The debate in Parliament on July 3 will serve as an important platform for advancing the case for financial compensation. Despite the government’s resistance, WASPI’s campaign has gained traction, with growing public support behind the demand for compensation.

If successful, this could set a precedent for addressing similar issues of state pension inequality in the future, furthering the cause of the 1950s-born women impacted by these reforms.

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