The Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) campaign has consulted QCs ahead of a potential legal challenge to the government's changes to the state pension age.
The campaign revealed today (15 December) that it had received advice from barristers John Turner QC and Gerry Facenna QC on the next steps of the potential challenge, through its solicitors firm Bindman's.
Last month, the Waspi campaign revealed it had crowdfunded £100,000 to pay the legal fees and costs of challenging the government's changes to the state pension age for women born in the 1950s.
The campaign also became a limited company on the advice of Bindman's.
In a move to raise further revenue, the campaign also launched a membership scheme for £25 a year, or £15 for those on benefits.
Members have the right to nominate and vote for members’ representatives, who in turn will select women to join the board of directors.
Waspi legal director Susan Beevers said: “We had a very helpful discussion with Counsel and are pleased that we shall be taking the next steps in the legal process.
"As I am sure our supporters will understand, I cannot provide further detailed information, as that information is legally privileged and it would be harmful to our case to reveal it at this stage. We will, of course, provide further details as soon as we are able.”
A spokesperson for the campaign told FTAdviser the campaign was prepared to go "as far as necessary".
"If it needs a legal challenge, there will be a legal challenge," he said.
However, he added the timetable for a potential legal challenge was not yet clear, and the preparation process was likely to "take a number of months".
The campaign previously stated it was exploring two potential legal avenues.
The first would be a judicial review challenge, or challenges, to the legality of the changes themselves.
The second would be "maladministration complaints" regarding the Department for Work & Pensions' alleged failure to communicate the changes properly.
A spokesperson for DWP said: "The decision to equalise the state pension age between men and women was made over 20 years ago and achieves a long-overdue move towards gender equality. There are no plans to change the transitional arrangements already in place.
"Women retiring today can still expect to receive the state pension for 26 years on average – several years longer than men."
james.fernyhough@ft.com