Information is Power

I have received a response to my freedom of information request regarding the number of spouses affected by the 1987 Police Pension Scheme - the data that the Home Office were able provide, relates only to the period 2008-2012. The total number of 'cessations' (widows having had their pensions revoked due to remarriage or cohabiting with a partner) during that period were 131. 'The valuation data has details of around 22,000 spouse's pensions in payment within the Police Pensions Scheme 1987. Under current regulations, the pensions paid to each of these spouses would cease if they remarried or cohabited in the future............As part of the valuation as at 2012 our actuary estimated that ignoring cessation on remarriage for current and future widows would increase the schemes liabilities by around £50 million based upon recent rates of remarriage. This approximate calculation was based on assumptions for widows within the police pension scheme at 31 March 2012. It does not include the cost of reinstating pensions of widows who have already remarried and is based on actuarial assumptions about widows in pension schemes, not the national average life expectancy of a woman.' Home Office I found references to 'cost' and use of the phrase 'increase the schemes liabilities' misleading; widows in receipt of a pension under the 1987 scheme who do not remarry or cohabit, simply continue to receive a pension - when a widow has her pension revoked due to remarriage or because they move in with a partner, the scheme has surely 'saved' the cost of their pension entitlement for as long as they remain married or living with that partner. I would like to thank the people who have already contacted their MP regarding my petition, NARPO (National Association of Retired Police Officers) and COPS for their continued support. There are a number of influential organisations currently consulting with their membership; I hope that I will be able to add them to this list in my next update. On October 29th 2014 I shall be lobbying parliament along with a small group of ladies from COPS, and the CEO of NARPO will be attending on the day. The families of police officers who have lost their lives on duty may find it beneficial to contact COPS - Care of Police Survivors www.ukcops.org/ COPS is a UK registered charity. Having signed the petition you are amongst 63,490 individuals that agree that Theresa May should grant all police widows pensions for life - without you the campaign simply would not exist. Thank you. Cathryn