Women affected by changes to the state pension age have accused politicians of “abandoning” them as the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign marks its tenth anniversary.

A snap poll of more than 5,000 WASPI women found that 88 per cent believed their votes had been taken for granted by Labour, despite pre-election pledges of support from hundreds of MPs.

In addition, more than four-fifths (80 per cent) said neither Labour nor the Conservatives cared about their cause, while 85 per cent said the same of Reform UK.

When asked how they would vote if a general election were held tomorrow, 38 per cent of respondents said they were unsure or would not vote at all.

However, the campaign stressed that the movement has not lost momentum.

Indeed, over half (51 per cent) said they now felt more motivated to vote, while 47 per cent claimed they have become more politically active since the government confirmed in December 2024 that it would not pay compensation.

Following the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) refusal to compensate the group, WASPI announced it would pursue legal action after securing a judicial review following the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s report last year.

The report found that women had suffered “injustice” as a result of communication failures, recommending compensation of between £1,000 and £2,950.

However, ministers later rejected this recommendation.

If a judicial review is successful, the government may be compelled to reconsider its decision.

WASPI chair, Angela Madden, said it was “no surprise” that WASPI women felt “totally abandoned” by those who once promised to right this historic injustice.

“After 10 years of campaigning, this generation of women is more determined than ever to secure the justice we are due,” she continued, warning that “despite the hopes of some, we are not going away.”

“Ministers should heed the calls of many of their own MPs and get around the table with WASPI women, or face being forced to defend the indefensible in court later this year,” Madden added.

Looking ahead, the campaigners confirmed they were “gearing up for more action” with MPs set to return to Westminster ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Autumn Budget.

---