Ceredigion Preseli pension campaigners have cautiously welcomed the UK Government’s review of the decision not to pay compensation to 1950s women.

Pat McFadden, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, announced to the House of Commons that the Government would ‘retake’ its decision to refuse to pay the compensation recommended by the Ombudsman to 1950s women.

He said evidence had come to light which former Pensions Minister Liz Kendall had not seen when she decided in December 2024 to refuse compensation to WASPI women.

Pamela Judge, Co-ordinator of Ceredigion Preseli Women Against State Pension Injustice said: “This is a welcome U-turn from the Government, although the evidence in question is certainly not new. It’s Department for Work and Pensions-commissioned research from 2007.

“Last year, the Minister claimed that one of the reasons not to pay WASPI women compensation was that they wouldn’t have read letters about their State Pension age even if they had been sent them earlier. The 2007 research completely contradicts that argument and suggests that 1950s women would in fact have read and understood the contents of personalised letters about their State Pension age.

“There is a Judicial Review listed in the High Court for 9 and 10 December. At this late stage, the Government has accepted that its earlier decision is legally indefensible. We are now in the same position as if the Judicial Review had been successful.”

Local MP Ben Lake said: “I welcome the fact that the UK Government’s will ‘rethink’ its decision to reject compensation for 1950s born women hit by changes to the state pension. Thousands of women have suffered immeasurable harm because of this injustice.

“However, while this does offer some hope, the UK Government still hasn’t provided any firm commitments of compensation. After years of disappointment, these women deserve certainty.”