‘Back to 60’ Pensions Scandal: 1950s Women Launch Crowdfunder to Bring Appeal

A campaign group determined to secure compensation from the Government for 3.8 million women, born in the 1950s, who face a six-year delay in getting their pensions is continuing its fight.

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The BackTo60 campaign group is seeking permission to appeal last week’s brutal judicial review which refused any compensation for 3.8 million women born in the 1950s who are facing a delay of up to six years in getting their pensions.

Lawyers representing the women, including Michael Mansfield QC, decided yesterday to prepare for an appeal following two hearings*** by judges over the issue which affects women born in the 1950s.*

The first hearing*** by Mrs Justice Lang granted permission for a judicial review on the grounds of age and sex discrimination and the failure of the Government to adequately inform the women of the changes.

Michael  Mansfield, who has sought permission for many judicial reviews, was particularly pleased that Mrs Justice Lang had ruled that all the points raised by him were arguable at a full judicial review. **

However, last week, Lord Justice Irwin and Mrs Justice Whipple threw out the entire case arguing that it was not to do with age or sex discrimination and that the Government was not obliged under the 1995 Pensions Act to inform the women of the big rise in their pension age. 

BackTo60 is tonight launching a crowdfunding campaign to secure enough cash to put a case to the court for an appeal. Two other groups – Waspi Campaign 2018 and We Paid In, You Pay Out – are also backing full restitution for the women.

BackTo60 has had an enormous response from the public and other organisations to its case, which was heightened by the dismissal of the judicial review. It has the backing of two of the biggest trade unions, Unison and Unite, the National Association of Women’s Organisations, the European Women’s Alliance of Lawyers, the Fawcett Society and Amnesty International.

Some 221 MPs from all parties have signed a parliamentary motion calling for full restitution. They have called for Parliament to pass a procedure called a ‘temporary special measure’ which would allow the Government to compensate the women without changing the provisions of the 1995 Pensions Act, which raised the pension age.

In a separate move following the judicial review, the Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey has agreed to meet two MPs, Conservative Tim Loughton and Labour’s Carolyn Harris, who run the All-Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension Inequality for Women, and Waspi Ltd, to discuss a limited payment to the women. This would only be paid to women over the age of 63 with some extra pension credit payments for the worst off. The offer is not supported by BackTo60 and the other groups and Waspi Ltd has said it does not want full restitution. 

Guy Opperman, the Pensions Minister, has opposed any compensation and, following the judicial review decision, said that the Government would follow the law.