Unison unanimously pass WASPI motion – 17 June 2025

17th June 2025

At the annual Unison Conference delegates unanimously voted for a motion in support of compensation for WASPI women.

Here is the motion and amendments in full

Item 59 – Pay Compensation to the WASPI Women Now!

Conference welcomes the Parliamentary and
Health Service Ombudsman report dated 21 March
2024 entitled ‘Women’s State Pension Age’ which
considered the impact of the arbitrary change in state
pension age and its effect on women born after 6 April 1950.

We note the level of compensation
recommended by the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman
recommended Level 4 compensation (£1000
£2950) due to “the lasting impact on someone
affected”;

(paragraph 504 of the report which is estimated to total between £3.5 billion and £10.5
billion).

While recognising that this does not meet the
expectations of many WASPI (Women Against State
Pension Inequality) women it is nevertheless a major
step forward.

Conference expected the new UK government
to instruct the Department of Work and Pensions to
pay the recommended compensation as a matter
of urgency. However, on 17 December 2024, the
government announced that no compensation would
be paid to WASPI women.

This decision was a cruel blow to a generation
of women, some of whom are now suffering severe
financial distress. It came as a shock particularly
given pre-election support from Labour for the WASPI
campaign, including those in leadership positions.

Conference calls on the National Executive
Council to work with National Retired Members’
Committee and the National Labour Link Committee
to lobby and campaign for immediate payment of the
compensation that WASPI women expected.
National Retired Members’ Committee
NEC Policy: Support

Item 59.1 In the third paragraph, after the sentence:

“However, on 17 December 2024, the government
announced that no compensation would be paid to
WASPI women”, add the following text:
“The government’s language unequivocally
suggests that funding is unavailable to compensate
the affected women. Pensions are funded through
National Insurance, with contributions from workers
representing deferred wages. Consequently, WASPI
women are demanding what they have rightfully paid
into. Any mismanagement of public funds is not the
fault of those who contributed their deferred wages.”
National Women’s Committee