The high court has ruled that women are not entitled to compensation for state pension age changes

17 Oct 2019

Campaigners have lost a significant legal battle against the Government’s handling of the rise in women’s state pension age.

They argued the changes were discriminating against women, but judges disagreed and said: “There was no direct discrimination on grounds of age or sex, and age and sex combined, because this legislation does not treat women less favourably than men in law”.

Most campaigners support pension equality but have argued that the Government was discriminatory in the way the rise was introduced.

The leader of the campaign Joanne Welch said she was puzzled by the court’s ruling.

What was the case about?

Up until 2010, women received their state pension at 60, but this has been rising since then. Some women who thought they would retire and receive a state pension at 60 found they would have to wait longer – for some a wait of more than five years, resulting in financial hardship for many.