WASPI pension petition hits milestone as campaigners demand DWP compensation

The WASPI petition has reached 150,000 signatures as campaigners urge Tory ministers to stop delaying over compensation.

Many women who missed out in the state pension age scandal are demanding that ministers stop wasting time and finally give compensation. WASPI campaigners say it's "unacceptable" for the government to keep putting it off, warning that thousands of victims have already passed away.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) found last month that the changes to the state pension age for women born in the 1950s weren't explained properly. Reports state that those affected should get an apology and compensation of between £1,000 and £2,950, costing between £3.5billion and £10.5billion, the Mirror reports.

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However, the reports has been criticised by those affected, who think the amount of compensation on offer is not enough. Despite this, the Tories gave no indication of how much compensation could be handed out before Parliament went on Easter break.

Campaigners believe one woman affected by the scandal passes away every 13 minutes (more than 110 a day). Now 150,000 supporters have signed a petition asking for an urgent vote on the issue in the House of Commons.

Angela Madden, who leads the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign group, said: "It is unacceptable for the government to treat the Ombudsman's report as if it were War and Peace or some very complicated and controversial plan to change the 'offside rule'.

"The report contains three straightforward conclusions: the DWP failed us very badly; WASPI women should be compensated; Parliament should intervene to set up a scheme. Without