Hi guys, Here is the latest communication from the Home Office forwarded to me by a supporter: “Thank you for your letter dated 8th July about pension entitlement for police widows. I am replying on behalf of the Rt Hon Mike Penning MP who is responsible for this policy area. I appreciate that this is an extremely sensitive matter for those affected and I have a great deal of sympathy for those in your situation. As I said in the adjournment debate on this issue in the House 25th February, this is a very important issue and I have been impressed by the nature, tone and empathy of the compelling campaign to make these changes to the 1987 Police Pension Scheme. In the Budget on the 18th March, the Chancellor announced that widows, widowers and surviving civil partners of police officers who died on duty in England and Wales will no longer lose their survivors’ benefits if they remarry, form a civil partnership or cohabit. The Government has sought to be clear that this amendment would be limited to those officers that died on duty. These changes will not apply to all survivors of members of the 1987 Police Pension Scheme. Instead, recognising the high risk of harm that police officers face as an everyday part of their jobs, the changes apply only to deaths that have occurred on duty. The intention is also to include journeys necessary to report for duty or return home after duty. I believe it is right to recognise the risks faced as an everyday part of this job and I believe that where police officers have died on duty, their surviving spouses/civil partners should not be faced with a decision between a new relationship and retaining entitlement to their survivor benefits. Any pensions already surrendered before the implementation date of the changes will not be automatically reinstated. This is in keeping with the policy as part of the Armed Forces’ changes announced last year. As you know, the current rules allow for the pension of a surviving spouse or civil partner to be reinstated if the new marriage, civil partnership or cohabitation ends. If that happens then the widow, widower or civil partner would need to apply to have the pension reinstated. Once restored, the pension would remain for life, even if the spouse or civil partner remarries, forms a civil partnership or cohabits, provided that the officer died on duty. The Home Office will consult the Police Advisory Board for England and Wales (PABEW) shortly on proposals to implement this change. Yours sincerely, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon" The changes detailed above will mean that campaign supporters Amanda and Kerry as constituents of Mr Cameron and Steve Brine MP will benefit. During the Adjournment debate Mr Penning said that he was adamant that his constituent and widow of Frank Mason would also benefit. That is I am sure, what has led the Treasury to examine what exactly can be defined as ‘on duty’. If anyone knows of a widow/widower or civil partner living in Witney the constituency of David Cameron or Hemel Hempstead Mike Penning’s constituency, that have had their pensions revoked due to remarriage or cohabitation - especially if their spouse did not die on duty - it is imperative that they contact the PM and Mr Penning asking them to act on their behalf. I would like to point out yet again that when I started this petition a little over 12 months ago, we were knocking on a door that was theoretically firmly closed to those of us overshadowed by the 1987 Police Pension Rules. Since then thanks to your efforts some of us have passed through that door to lifelong pensions, and slowly but surely more have followed. Until we fling that door wide open and achieve parity with Northern Ireland this campaign will continue. As always please send any information received regarding the campaign to this email address: CathrynHall@outlook.com Cathryn