On BBC Radio 4’s Any Answers show on January 31, it was incorrectly stated that a report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman had rejected calls for compensation and the state pension changes were lawful.

However, the Ombudsman had in fact suggested compensation ranging between £1000 and £2950 would be appropriate for each of those who were affected by the way changes to the state pension age were communicated to women born in the 1950s.

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Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden told the Commons on January 29 that a targeted compensation programme would “not be practical”, with a wider flat-rate scheme costing up to £10.3 billion.

Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) has long-campaigned, and have have carried on urging people to contact their MP to call for compensation.

A previous government decision not to offer redress was reviewed after the rediscovery of a 2007 Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) evaluation, which at the time led to officials stopping sending out automatic pension forecast letters.

File photo of the BBC offices in central London (Image: PA)

The BBC issued a correction on Thursday.

The BBC’s corrections and clarifications page states: “During discussion about the changes to the state pension age for women, it was stated that the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman had rejected calls for compensation and said the changes were lawful.

“This was incorrect.

“The Ombudsman investigation focused on the communication of the changes, not their legality, and in 2024 recommended compensation of between £1000 and £2950 for each person affected.”