Waspi women 'more determined than ever' after government blow

By Dan Haygarth | 18/12/24

Hello,

In today’s Liverpool Daily Post, Katie Westwood speaks to Waspi women after the government announced yesterday that they will not be compensated. Katie was told that the women are now “more determined than ever” and are confident their fight will continue.

Elsewhere, a Liverpool law firm has been shut down by the industry regulator over suspicions of dishonesty and a union has accused a Merseyside housing association of being a 'scrooge employer' as more than 100 workers walked out on strike.

Thanks for reading.

Waspi women 'more determined than ever' after government blow

1950s-born women have reacted with fury to the government's decision not to compensate those affected by the way changes to the state pension age were communicated, reports Katie Westwood. Waspi women - Women Against State Pension Inequality - say they were not properly informed by the government that their state pension age would increase by over five years. The decision to raise women’s state pension age from 60 to 65 in line with men was made in the 1990s.

A pivotal report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman was issued in March which stated that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was guilty of “maladministration” having failed to properly notify women of pension changes. An estimated 3.6 million 1950s-born women expected to get their state pension at 60 but had to wait another five or six years due to increases in the state pension age. Many argue they were not properly forewarned, and their retirement plans were thrown into chaos.

Yesterday, December 17, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said the government does not believe paying a flat rate to women at a cost of up to £10.5 billion would be a "fair or proportionate use of taxpayers’ money".

Anne Keen, 71, from Rainhill, feels let down by the decision not to provide compensation. Anne, the co-founder of the national Waspi campaign, told the ECHO: "I was shocked, but not surprised, when I heard the news, given the current track record of this government reneging on pre-election promises."

Anne received a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions 13 months before she was due to get her pension. She said that when she found out about the changes to her retirement age in June 2012, the effect on her was "physical".

She said: "I actually felt like somebody had punched me in the stomach. The letter said: 'Just to notify you, you will get your pension in three years, 8 months and six days.' I said to Mark [her husband], they've made a mistake. The first thing I did was I rang them and asked if they'd made a mistake, and they said no. I couldn't believe it. Our dream was to retire to Greece, but that's gone up in smoke now."

Anne is no longer on the WASPI steering board, but is confident the fight for justice will continue. "Given the number of messages I've had," said Anne, "it seems this decision has made many Waspi women more determined than ever to carry on in the fight for justice and I will certainly join fellow campaigners in protests."

The Government said it has accepted the Ombudsman’s finding of maladministration and has apologised for there being a 28-month delay in writing to 1950s-born women. However, it said evidence showed only one in four people remember receiving and reading letters that they were not expecting and that the great majority of 1950s-born women did know that the state pension age was changing.

The Government said a blanket compensation scheme, which could cost taxpayers up to £10.5 billion, cannot be justified. It would also be impossible to deliver a tailored compensation scheme taking into account individual circumstances that is fair, value for money and feasible, it added.

In a statement, Ms Kendall said: “These two facts: that most women knew the state pension age was increasing and that letters aren’t as significant as the Ombudsman says, as well as other reasons, have informed our conclusion that there should be no scheme of financial compensation to 1950s-born women, in response to the Ombudsman’s report.”

She added: “The alternative put forward in the report is for a flat rate compensation scheme, at level four of the Ombudsman’s scale of injustice, this would provide £1,000 to £2,950 per person at a total cost of between £3.5 billion and 10.5 billion.

“Given the vast majority of women knew the state pension age was increasing, the Government does not believe paying a flat rate to all women at a cost of up to £10.5 billion would be a fair or proportionate use of taxpayers’ money.”

There were shouts of "shame" when Ms Kendall made the announcement in the Commons. Earlier, Sir Keir Starmer said he understood the concerns of the Waspi women but the Government had to protect the taxpayer.

The Prime Minister told broadcasters: “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."

Liverpool law firm shut down over suspected dishonesty

A Liverpool law firm has been closed with immediate effect after the industry regulator stepped in. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) intervened into the practice of Christopher Williams at GW Law Ltd, based at 20 Chapel Street in Liverpool city centre, on December 13.

An SRA spokesperson told the ECHO: "The grounds of intervention are reason to suspect dishonesty on the part of Mr Williams. He has also failed to comply with our Code of Conduct for solicitors, and our Accounts Rules, which govern how solicitors handle money entrusted to them by clients.

"The practising certificate of Mr Williams has been automatically suspended, so he cannot currently practice as a solicitor. An intervention means the SRA has closed a firm with immediate effect.

"It will stop the firm from operating, take possession of all documents and papers held by the firm, and take possession of all money held by the firm (including clients' money). It is not responsible towards employees or trade creditors of firms that it has intervened in.

"The SRA has appointed another solicitor – called an agent - to deal with all matters currently held by GW Law Ltd. The agent will assess all on-going matters and deal with those of greatest need first. The SRA's archive team will take control of all documents relating to closed matters held by the firm, such as copies of deeds and wills.

"Clients of GW Law Ltd do not need to contact either the agent or the SRA at this time. If anyone does have a query, however, they can contact the agent, Sean Joyce, of Stephensons Solicitors, on 0300 3214406 or by emailing Interventions@stephensons.co.uk.

"The SRA will now investigate further the issues raised that have led to this intervention to see if any additional action is necessary. At this stage of the SRA's work, no further details can be disclosed.

"It is only if further action becomes necessary that any information is released into the public domain. There is no timescale for how long this work will take."

The ECHO understands that the business that surrounds the law firm GW Law is still technically open. The intervention means that business still has liabilities towards the staff it employs.

Sean Joyce of Stephensons Solicitors LLP, Wigan Investment Centre, Waterside Drive, Wigan WN3 5BA has been appointed as the intervening agent. For enquiries please call 0300 3214406 or email Interventions@stephensons.co.uk 

Housing firm called 'Scrooge employer' after Christmas party 'cancelled' as strike continues

A union has accused a Merseyside housing association of being a 'scrooge employer' as more than 100 workers start renewed strike action over a pay dispute, reports Elliot Jessett.

The Unite union also claimed that Livv Housing - a housing association covering the Liverpool City Region - has cancelled its staff Christmas parties and is attempting to break the strike action by 'taking advantage' of financial pressures experienced by its workers.

Livv Housing workers began a strike yesterday (Wednesday) as a dispute over pay and conditions intensifies. According to union officials, the dispute is a result of "below inflation pay rises" resulting in workers rejecting a 5% pay increase proposed by Livv Housing's leadership team.

The ECHO has seen an email sent by Livv Housing CEO Leanne Hearne offering workers a pay rise of five per cent before Christmas if they confirm they are “non-union members”. Unite claimed this is an attempt to try and get workers to give up their union membership in order to weaken the strike. Livv bosses said there are many employees who are not union members who have felt unheard and want to accept the pay award.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Livv Housing is a Scrooge employer that is refusing to pay staff a reasonable increase despite its huge wealth. Now it is attempting to break the strike by trying to take advantage of the financial pressures its workers are facing in the run up to Christmas.

“Our members are appalled and only more determined to stay the course. This dispute will only end when Livv puts forward an acceptable pay offer, something it can well afford to do.”

A spokesperson for Livv Housing said: "While we respect union members’ rights to take industrial action, we recognise the impact this has had on all our employees - the 130 union members striking and the 370 who are not.

"We needed to find a way to respect the wishes and rights of the majority of our colleagues who aren’t taking part in industrial action, many of whom have also said they have felt unheard and want to accept the pay award, alongside our colleagues who have rejected our 5% pay award and are continuing to strike."

Negotiations between the Unite The Union and Livv Housing have been ongoing for the last year but no agreement has been reached after the housing association's pay offer of 5%. LH said this is the maximum they can offer whilst the union said 5% does not 'reverse the real terms pay cuts' workers have experienced after many years of 'below inflation pay rises'.

The spokesperson for Livv Housing added: "Our intention was always to pay all staff, but our unions have confirmed that they ‘do not agree that bargaining is exhausted’. Meaning that we legally cannot implement the pay award to any union members."

In the same email sent by Ms Hearne, Livv Housing confirmed they have now cancelled all staff Christmas parties. Responding to the cancellation, Unite regional officer John Sheppard said: "If Livv Housing wants to spread some festive cheer, it should get back round the table with Unite and put forward an offer that reflects the years of below inflation pay rises its workers have suffered.”

To clarify their decision to cancel the Christmas party, the spokesperson from Livv Housing said: “Our decision to cancel the Christmas parties this year was led by our people following a staff vote – a high number of staff voted not to attend, making it hard to justify financially."

The Livv Housing repair and maintenance workers, who are members of Unite, will strike on 18, 19, 20, 23 and 24 December. The dispute also involves members of Unison.

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