The campaign for justice led by Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) has reached a crucial milestone as the High Court confirms a hearing date in their legal challenge against the Government.
Waspis a campaign group representing women born in the 1950s who claim they were unfairly impacted by changes to the state pension age, after being given little or no notice by the government.
The two-day case will begin on December 9, 2025 and will see lawyers representing Waspi argue that the Government’s refusal to compensate millions of women affected by changes to the state pension age is unjust and legally flawed.
This legal challenge follows the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s (PHSO) report, published in December 2024, which found that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) committed maladministration in its handling of the pension age changes.
The WASPI campaign has fought to address historic inequality women has faced
| WASPIDespite accepting the finding, ministers rejected the recommendation to offer financial redress to the 3.5 million women impacted.
Many of these women, born in the 1950s, feel they were given little or no notice that their pension age had risen from 60 to 65 and later to 66.
As a result, they claim that thousands were forced to change their retirement plans with little time to prepare.
Campaigners argue that the Government’s response lacks compassion and fails to reflect the financial and emotional harm caused to a generation of women who had planned for retirement based on long-standing expectations.
**Do you have a money story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing money@gbnews.uk.
The court cannot compel the Government to pay compensation directly.
However, it can rule that the reasons given for rejecting the Ombudsman’s findings are irrational and force ministers to reconsider their decision.
As the case prepares to move forward, new research highlights the ongoing impact on the women affected.
A survey of over 5,000 Waspi women found that 72 per cent are worried about their finances.
WASPI women are lobbying the government for compensation
|Getty/Flickr/Plaid Cymru
Many faces uncertainty about how they will support themselves through later life, having already spent years working longer than they had expected.
The same poll revealed that 80 percent believe politicians care only about younger generations, underscoring the deep sense of neglect felt by those at the heart of the scandal.
Angela Madden, the chair of the Waspi campaign, said the time has come for ministers to engage directly with those impacted.
“With our day in court now on the horizon, we are more determined than ever to secure the fair compensation that Waspi women deserve.
“We are backed by hundreds of MPs across the political parties, dozens of trade unions and influential organisations, alongside an overwhelming majority of the public.
“Ministers should stop dithering and get around the table with Waspi women or face being forced to defend the indefensible in court in a matter of weeks.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
The High Court date has been set to December 9 of this year
| PAA final ruling is not expected until spring 2026, but campaigners say the court date alone marks an important step forward.
The pension changes introduced by the 1995 and 2011 Pension Acts raised the state pension age for women to bring it in line with men.
Waspi supports the principle of equalisation but believes the way the changes were introduced were rushed and poorly communicated.