Can the Scottish Parliament mitigate the WASPI changes?

While the SNP agree with the equalisation of the State Pension Age, we do not support the unfair manner in which these changes were made in the 2011 Pensions Act. Around 2.6 million women are affected by the accelerated pace and many will receive their pension years later than expected.

This is a mess of the Tories making and they must take responsibility and deliver the pension that women born in the 1950s deserve – ending this inequality at source. We will continue to campaign at Westminster to deliver fair pensions for WASPI women. Read more about our action here.

Pensions are fully reserved to Westminster. Even with limited social security powers devolved to Scotland, the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to create new pension benefits. This is explicitly set out in the Scotland Act 2016. Neither can the power to top-up benefits be used because WASPI women are not yet in receipt of a pension.