The Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign group is demanding action from Andy Burnham over the State Pensions payments row.
WASPI is a campaign that argues that women born in the 1950s should be compensated for receiving inadequate notice of a change in the law in 1995 that increased their state pension age from 60 to 65, bringing it in line with the pension age for men.
Their recent calls on the new Prime Minister to take action come after Sir Keir Starmer's government refused demands for compensation from the group, most recently ruling out payments in January this year.
Promises made before election
The WASPI campaign group posted their statement on social media, stating that: "When WASPI met Andy Burnham before his election he promised to meet with us to discuss proper redress for the DWP maladministration and the harm it caused. No more delay. We want a date and a fair settlement."
Their statement said: "Words don't change anything. Action does. Andy Burnham knows WASPI women were failed. He is now the one person who can put this right. We were promised a meeting. No more delay - we want a date, and a fair settlement."
Burnham's position
It comes after Andy Burnham ruled out compensating WASPI women during the Makerfield campaign. He said he was "uncomfortable" with the way some politicians had expressed support for the campaign but then failed to deliver.
He said the women "deserve some recompense for the unfairness", which was seen as a hint he could look again at compensation if he became Prime Minister.
But he later rowed back, with a spokesperson saying Mr Burnham accepts the decision not to award compensation to the group is final.
At a hustings event hosted by the Manchester Evening News at Winstanley College on June 10, the Labour candidate, in response to a question from WASPI campaigner Jan Fulster, said: "I have long supported the campaign and I feel uncomfortable when politicians were all holding up that banner and then got into government and didn't do anything. I stick by the campaigns that I support. I stuck by the Hillsborough families and I will stick by the WASPI women because they deserve some recompense for the unfairness."
Government stance
While Labour was in opposition, senior party figures including Sir Keir Starmer had backed the campaign, which claims the way an increase in the state pension age was communicated was unfair.
But in office, the party has refused demands for compensation from the group, most recently ruling out payments in January this year.
Following the hustings, a spokesperson for Mr Burnham ruled out revisiting financial compensation for the campaigners and instead said he could consider giving them early access to free travel.
They said: "Andy has always recognised the unfair way in which state pension equalisation was introduced. As mayor of Greater Manchester, he supported Waspi women in the city-region with early access to concessionary travel, providing some recompense to them within affordability limits. He accepts the final decision has been made in relation to financial compensation but has indicated an openness to considering similar schemes on the Greater Manchester model."
Compensation could cost billions
The Waspi campaign argues that women born in the 1950s should be compensated for receiving inadequate notice of a change in the law in 1995 that increased their state pension age from 60 to 65, bringing it in line with the pension age for men.
With the campaign estimating 3.6 million women were affected, the bill for compensation could run into the billions.
A report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) recommended compensation of between £1,000 and £2,950, meaning the total could be more than £10 billion.
