Over 5,000 Scottish women die after pension age change, compensation still denied

Statistics from the National Records of Scotland, examined by the SNP, reveal that 5,060 Scottish women under the age of 66 died after the state pension age for women was raised in October 2026. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman had ruled in 2024 that the government had failed to communicate the change properly and suggested compensation ranging from £1,000 to £2,950 per person, a cost estimated between £3.5 billion and £10.5 billion.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall dismissed the recommendation, arguing that most women were aware of the change and that a compensation scheme would be impractical. SNP representative Clare Haughey labeled the deaths as evidence of a Labour broken promise and pledged continued pressure on Westminster. Labour ministers Pat McFadden and Andy Burnham, who previously campaigned with affected women, have been criticised for abandoning the issue after taking office.