WASPI compensation — what's the latest?
As of 29 October 2026 there is no compensation scheme. The government decided against one in December 2024 and again in January 2026. WASPI is challenging that decision in the High Court.
- ▸There is no WASPI compensation scheme. On 29 January 2026 the government decided, for the second time, not to set one up.
- ▸The government accepts that a 28-month delay in sending State Pension age letters was maladministration, and has apologised for it.
- ▸The Ombudsman said it would have recommended £1,000 to £2,950 (level 4) for the women in its sample.
- ▸WASPI is seeking a judicial review in the High Court. DWP described the case as ongoing litigation on 20 October 2026.
The current position
The government's decision of 29 January 2026 says: "We have decided against introducing financial compensation for women affected by the delay in sending out State Pension age letters." It also says: "We are sorry that we did not send individual letters earlier in this case."
That decision replaced the communications part of the government's first response, published on 17 December 2024, which had also decided against a compensation scheme. WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) is seeking permission from the High Court to bring a judicial review of the government's response. We have not found a court decision as of 29 October 2026, and DWP has said it does not comment on live litigation.
What the Ombudsman found
The Ombudsman found that DWP's communication of the 1995 changes met the expected standards from 1995 to 2004, but that decisions made between August 2005 and December 2007 caused a 28-month delay in starting to send individual letters to women born in the 1950s. It found that this meant the women it investigated lost opportunities to make informed decisions and a sense of control over their finances.
It said it would have recommended compensation at level 4, £1,000 to £2,950, for the 6 sample complainants, and asked Parliament to find a way to provide a remedy for others affected.
Why the government said no
The January 2026 decision document gives these main reasons:
- the evidence suggests most 1950s-born women knew State Pension age was changing, and that an earlier letter would not have changed the choices most of them made;
- a scheme to assess each woman's situation would be highly impractical, and a flat-rate or rules-based scheme could pay large sums to women who suffered no injustice;
- payments of up to £10.3 billion would fall on current and future taxpayers.
It concludes that a compensation scheme "is neither fair nor feasible and would not represent good value for taxpayers". The government reconsidered after a 2007 DWP research report on automatic pension forecasts was raised in the legal challenge. It accepted that the report contained relevant evidence and, having considered it, reached the same conclusion.
Timeline
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1995 | The Pensions Act 1995 set women's State Pension age to rise from 60 to 65 over 10 years from April 2010. |
| 2009 | The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) started sending individual letters to affected women in April 2009. |
| 2011 | The Pensions Act 2011 sped this up: women's State Pension age reached 65 in November 2018, and 66 for men and women by October 2020. |
| 2018 | The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) started its investigation. |
| July 2021 | The Ombudsman published its findings on maladministration. |
| 21 March 2024 | The Ombudsman published its final report. It said it would have recommended compensation at level 4 (£1,000 to £2,950) for the 6 sample complainants, and asked Parliament to find a way to provide a remedy. |
| 17 December 2024 | The government accepted the 28-month delay in sending letters and apologised, but decided against a compensation scheme. |
| March 2025 | WASPI brought a legal challenge against that decision. In October 2025 the challenge was amended to refer to a 2007 DWP research report that had not been considered. |
| 11 November 2025 | The Work and Pensions Secretary committed to make a new decision on the communications part, taking the 2007 report into account. |
| 29 January 2026 | The government made its new decision: again, no compensation scheme. |
| 25 June 2026 | DWP published an action plan on learning lessons from the Ombudsman's investigation. |
| June–October 2026 | WASPI is seeking permission from the High Court for a judicial review of the government's response. On 20 October 2026 DWP described this as ongoing litigation in the Administrative Court. |
What you can do now
- There is nothing to apply for. Be cautious about anyone offering to register you for compensation, especially if they ask for a fee or personal details.
- Check your State Pension. All women born in the 1950s reached State Pension age by 5 April 2026. Your amount depends on your National Insurance record; see how much State Pension you could get.
- Check whether you can get Pension Credit. If your income is low, the Pension Credit calculator gives a weekly estimate.
- Follow the official updates. Government decisions are published on GOV.UK.
WASPI questions
Is there WASPI compensation?
No. On 29 January 2026 the government decided, for the second time, not to set up a compensation scheme for women born in the 1950s affected by the delay in sending State Pension age letters. WASPI is challenging that decision in the courts, but as of 29 October 2026 no compensation scheme exists.
How much compensation did the Ombudsman recommend?
The Ombudsman said it would have recommended compensation at level 4, which is £1,000 to £2,950, for the 6 sample complainants in its investigation, and asked Parliament to find a way to provide a remedy for other women affected.
Why did the government say no?
Its decision says most 1950s-born women knew State Pension age was changing, that the evidence does not show an earlier letter would have been read and recalled by most women, and that a compensation scheme would be neither fair nor feasible and would not represent good value for taxpayers.
What is happening with the WASPI court case?
In parliamentary answers in June 2026, DWP said WASPI is seeking permission from the High Court to bring a judicial review of its response to the Ombudsman's report. On 20 October 2026 it estimated its legal costs for the litigation in the Administrative Court at about £120,000 plus VAT. We have not found a court decision as of 29 October 2026.
Do I need to register or apply for WASPI compensation?
There is no government compensation scheme and nothing to apply for. Be wary of anyone asking for fees, bank details or your National Insurance number to register you for compensation.
Does this affect my State Pension?
No. All women born in the 1950s reached State Pension age by 5 April 2026. Your State Pension amount is set by your National Insurance record, and you can check it on GOV.UK. If your income is low, you may be able to get Pension Credit.
- ▸On 29 January 2026 the government decided against introducing financial compensation for women affected by the delay in sending State Pension age letters, and apologised for the delay. [GOV.UK decision document]
- ▸The Ombudsman said it would have recommended compensation at level 4 (£1,000 to £2,950) for the 6 sample complainants. Its final report was published on 21 March 2024. [GOV.UK decision document / PHSO]
- ▸The first government response, published on 17 December 2024, also decided against a compensation scheme. [GOV.UK]
- ▸WASPI is seeking permission from the High Court to bring a judicial review of the government's response to the Ombudsman's report (DWP, 26 June 2026). DWP estimated its legal costs for the litigation at about £120,000 plus VAT (20 October 2026). [UK Parliament written answers]
This page reports the official position as of 29 October 2026. It is not legal advice, and Pension Bible is not connected to the WASPI campaign or any claims service.