Sir Keir Starmer has defended a decision not to compensate women affected by changes to their retirement age – saying doing so would “burden” the taxpayer.
The prime minister said he understood the concerns of the Women Against State Pension Inequality – often known as Waspi women – but their demands were not affordable.
He was speaking after Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall issued an apology for a 28-month delay in sending out letters to those born in the 1950s impacted by the state pension changes introduced under previous governments.
However, she said she doesn’t accept that compensation should be paid.
Follow politics latest: Reaction to Waspi decision
Ms Kendall said the “great majority of women knew the state pension age was increasing” and that a state-funded pay-out wouldn’t be “fair or value for taxpayers’ money'”.
The announcement was branded a “day of shame” by the Liberal Democrats, who accused the Labour government of “turning its back on millions of pension-age women who were wronged”.
Earlier this year, an investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) found that thousands of women may have been adversely impacted by the government’s failure to adequately inform them of the change to their retirement age.
The watchdog suggested that women should receive compensation of between £1,000 and £2,950 – but the findings were not legally binding.
Ms Kendall said that would have cost up to £10.5 billion, which is not “fair or proportionate”.
However she did accept the Ombudsman’s finding of maladministration in communicating the changes.
The Waspi campaign group say millions suffered financially as they were not given sufficient warning to prepare for the later retirement age.
Speaking to reporters after the announcement, Sir Keir said: “I do understand, of course, the concern of the Waspi women. But also I have to take into account whether it’s right at the moment to impose a further burden on the taxpayer, which is what it would be.”
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