More than 3.6 million women across Great Britain are estimated to have missed out on State Pension payments due to changes made to the UK Government’s retirement age. Between April 2010 and November 2018, it rose from 60 to 65 for women, and in October 2020 it increased to 66 for both men and women.
In July 2021, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) ruled the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) failed to communicate the age changes to those women with enough urgency, finding it guilty of ‘maladministration’ and is currently investigating the harm caused. However, stage two of the investigation has been delayed due to a legal challenge which means the final publication from the Ombudsman will be delayed while this takes place.
No timescale for publication has been given and is something Labour MP Ruth Cadbury recently asked the DWP about, but received the standard response from Pensions Minister Laura Trott MP “that It would not be appropriate to comment on the investigation while it is ongoing”.
