Plaid Cymru MS calls on the Welsh Government to 'step up' and support women who have been denied their pensions

A Plaid Cymru MS has called for the Welsh Government to "step up" to support women born in the 1950s who have been denied their pensions.

Women born in the 1950s have been campaigning for compensation since 2015 over the failure to provide adequate notice about changes in the State Pension age to bring it in line with men.

The WASPI campaign say that 3.8 million women were “hit particularly hard” when the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) raised the State Pension age for women but failed to properly communicate the changes with them.

In December 2024, then Work and Pensions secretary, Liz Kendall announced that the UK Government would not be compensating women affected, while accepting a finding by the Ombudsman of maladministration, and apologising for a 28-month delay in writing to 1950s-born women.

Speaking in the Senedd yesterday (28 January), Plaid Cymru Deputy Leader Delyth Jewell MS, called for the Welsh Government to do more to support these women.

She said: “Women born in the 1950s are still waiting in limbo. Women born in the 1950s were denied their pensions, and many women have died without having the money that they are owed.

"Campaigners have fought long and hard for justice. It does seem that the memories of Ministers in Westminster are short. They have forgotten the promises they made before they came to power.

“Campaigners are calling for mediation. A petition calling for this has reached more than 30,000 signatures, and calls have been made too for an apology that acknowledges maladministration and discrimination.

"I realise that this is a Westminster issue, but time is running out in this Senedd. You, Counsel General, have been a strong voice on this matter and for justice, as was your predecessor.

“Could I ask if you could use your voice in these final weeks before the Welsh election to raise the matter with your colleagues again in Westminster? It is high time the women's voices were heard and justice attained.”

Counsel General Julie James replied: “We've continued to raise concerns about this matter with the UK Government since 2016, and will continue to do so. My colleague Jane Hutt does it on every occasion she can, as do the rest of us. You're absolutely right, it's a long-standing issue that requires a just and satisfactory resolution at the earliest opportunity.

“We provide a range of support to assist people with that. As always, here in Wales, we try to make sure that people are assisted. We provide a range of support, generally through my colleague Jane Hutt's portfolio. We have the single advice fund and the 'Claim what's yours' national benefit take-up campaign, just to name a few, just to try and make sure that people do have some support.

“Because there was a large number of women who suddenly couldn't retire when they thought they could, and certainly didn't have the amount of time it would have taken for them to build up enough of a pot. So, we continue to make those points, but we have no actual power because it's not devolved.”

Speaking after the exchange campaigner Kay Clarke, from the Vale of Glamorgan of the 1950s Women of Wales & beyond group said: “We sincerely thank Delyth Jewell MS for refusing to let this injustice disappear from the Senedd agenda.

“Pat McFadden must now reverse his decision and reopen dialogue with the 1950s Women of Wales & Beyond. His refusal to engage is not neutral; it is actively discriminatory. It silences the women who were harmed and denies them a seat at the table.

“This campaign is about hundreds of thousands of real women across Wales and the UK. You do not deliver justice by listening to one limited company and shutting out everyone else. All evidence must be examined. All affected women must be heard. Anything less is exclusion and it amounts to further discrimination.

"I’ve been involved with this campaign from the start 11 years ago. Women who lost on average £50,000 are being steered towards a means tested £1000-£2995 for the few; a settlement designed to limit government liability and not deliver justice. Silencing dissent is not unity; it is political containment and we will not be complicit to that.”

A decision on whether to grant Waspi women compensation is expected imminently as Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden will address the Commons today with an update on pensions.

The petition mentioned in the Senedd by Delyth Jewell can be found here.