New DWP update for WASPI women due final outcome of State Pension age change investigation this year

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has said it is “cooperating fully” with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) while it conducts its independent investigation into ‘injustice caused by the maladministration’ of changes to the State Pension age, which has affected millions of WASPI women (Women Against State Pension Inequality).

Pensions Minister Paul Maynard MP said the DWP will “carefully consider any findings that arise from the final report”. The Minister’s comments were made after Labour MP Olivia Blake asked the DWP what assessment had been made of the ‘implications for its policies of the PHSO’s report entitled Women’s State Pension age: our findings on the Department for Work and Pensions’ communication of changes, published on 20 July 2021’.

In his written response on March 5, Mr Maynard said in accordance with PHSO guidelines, it would “not be appropriate to comment” on the 2021 report as the investigation is still ongoing.

However, he added: “The Department is cooperating fully with the Ombudsman’s investigation and will carefully consider any findings that arise from the final report.”The PHSO investigation into complaints about communication of changes to women’s State Pension age began in 2018, but due to the complexity of the case, some 650 pieces of evidence had to be reviewed, and after a legal challenge funded by thousands of WASPI campaigners into stage two (injustice) findings, it agreed to look again at its decision, causing further delays.The final report is due to be published this year, but will not be made public until the PHSO has reviewed feedback on its draft findings from all parties involved.