Campaigners aim to send one million letters to MPs in a “Herculean effort” for compensation for women affected by an increase in the state pension age. The Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) group is calling on supporters to write to their local MPs and urge them to back their calls for payouts.

The fresh push in the long-running campaign comes as the Government is reconsidering a decision to reject compensation for women born in the 1950s and is due to report back by the end of next month. The group argue that they were negatively affected by the way the increases to the state pension were communicated.

WASPI chair Angela Madden said: “WASPI women are prepared to fight harder than ever before to seek the justice we deserve over the next few weeks. But we are not just asking 1950s women themselves to help.

“We need everyone in the country who backs us to get involved in a Herculean effort to make this an issue no MP can ignore.

“This really is crunch time. We need every MP making it clear that ministers are in the last chance saloon.

“If they again ignore the parliamentary ombudsman’s recommendations, they risk a humiliating tsunami of national outrage and further legal action.”

A 2024 report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman suggested compensation between £1,000 and £2,950 for those affected.

The Government accepted the ombudsman’s findings that the group were not adequately informed about changes to the state pension age and apologised, but dismissed recommendations for payouts which could cost taxpayers up to £10.5 billion

The bid to send one million letters has been backed by other campaign groups for pensioners.

Silver Voices director Dennis Reed said: “This is another screeching U-turn that the Government must make.

“To put two fingers up to their own Parliamentary Ombudsman, who recommended compensation for the 1950s women, reveals an arrogant contempt for democracy and legal protest.

“All power to WASPI in their fight for justice for these three million older women, we will urge our members to write to their MPs in support of this vital campaign.”

Jan Shortt, general secretary of the National Pensioners Convention, added: “The Government’s recent promise to revisit the WASPI compensation decision is a welcome step, but justice for 1950s-born women requires far more.

“These women planned their lives around a state pension age that was abruptly and unfairly shifted, leaving many in severe financial difficulty and emotional distress.

“The Government must now demonstrate real commitment by delivering the meaningful compensation they are long overdue. The Government must also show confidence in their Ombudsman as the system for protecting our rights. We will be urging our NPC members to write to their MPs in support of WASPI.”

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said: “Last month we committed to retake the decision and as set out, we will do so within three months.

“This should not be taken as an indication that Government will necessarily decide that it should award financial compensation.”