Changes to the state pension could severely impact the generation of women already affected by the WASPI issue (Women Against State Pension Inequality). Penny Cogher, a pensions partner at legal advice firm Irwin Mitchell, spoke about the potential for changes to the triple lock policy. The triple lock ensures state pension payments rise each April in line with the highest of the rise in average earnings, inflation or 2.5 percent.

Labour has committed to the policy for the duration of this Parliament, but there has been speculation it could be watered down in the Budget in November. Ms Cogher said that changing the policy to make the state pension increases less generous would be a hugely unpopular move.

She said: “The triple lock for the state pension is a costly benefit for the country but making changes to it is again political dynamite.” She went on to explain that any changes would particularly impact older women.

Ms Cogher said: “The people who most need this benefit are elderly women in all levels and types of society. Why? Women live longer than men, and they have significantly less pension savings than a comparable man for all the usual reasons – lower salary, time spent out of employment due to caring responsibilities.

“Elderly women have already lost out on their state pension due to earlier changes to the state pension – just think of all the hardship of the WASPI women. So for them to lose out again, when there is a female Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer just should not happen.”

What is the WASPI controversy about?

The WASPI campaign is one of several groups who represent the 1950s-born generation of women whose state pension age increased from 60 to 65 and then 66. Many of the women claim they didn’t know of the change until the last minute, and that the DWP should have advised them of the change sooner.

A report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman in 2023 concluded there was ‘maladministration’ in the DWP‘s efforts to tell the women. The watchdog said the DWP should have sent out letters to the women sooner.

The Ombudsman also recommended the women should receive compensation ranging from £1,000 up to £2,950. But the Labour Government announced before Parliament at the end of last year that there would be no payouts.

Ministers made the case that most of the women did know the state pension age was going up and that sending out letters sooner would have made little difference.

But the dispute continues, as WASPI has now applied for a judicial review of the DWP‘s decision not to grant compensation. The high court will consider the case in December.

Triple lock commitment

State pension rates increased 4.1 percent in April thanks to the triple lock, increasing the full new state pension by around £470 a year.

Former Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall, said in April 2025 when the triple lock increase was applied: “Our ironclad commitment to the triple lock gives pensioners across the country the certainty and security they need to live a full life in retirement. We are putting more money in people’s pockets and driving up household income as part of our Plan for Change.”

State pensioners will see their payments rise by up to £1,900 over the course of this Parliament because of the triple lock pledge, DWP figures suggest.