State pensioners born in these years could be set for DWP payout

Women who were born in certain years have been told they could be set for a payout from the DWP over controversial changes to the state pension. Keir Starmer has said an update will soon be on the way for campaigners known as the WASPI women.

Any compensation payouts would affect women born in the 1950s who lost out through changes to the state pension age. It follows a report earlier this year that recommended payments of between £1,000 and £2,950 to those who lost out.

There has since been a change of Government and a final decision now sits with Labour. WASPI campaigners have been waiting months to find out what will be happening regarding payouts. They have demanded higher payments of up to £10,000.

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Keir Starmer told reporters an update would be coming soon from DWP Secretary, Liz Kendall, as he stressed it was a "very serious" matter. The PM said: "The DWP secretary will be making a statement on this in the not too distant future." He added: "Obviously, it's a very serious report, and the response will be set out by the DWP Secretary."

It comes after pensions minister Emma Reynolds told the Commons the Government hoped "to be able to update the House in the coming weeks" on the issue. A report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) concluded that affected women should have received at least 28 months' more individual notice of the changes by the Department for Work and Pensions. The report also stated that for women who were unaware of the changes it meant that the opportunity for women to adjust their retirement plans were lost.