Federation welcome for 'righting a wrong' Release Date: 3 Dec 2014 Source: PFNI The Chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, Terry Spence QPM, has welcomed the announcement that backdated pension payments will soon be made to RUC widows who remarried. The Minister for Justice, David Ford MLA, said the legal position around eligibility had now been clarified and that he’d given approval for payments to be made. Payments will be backdated to 1 July 2014. All widows who remarried will be legally entitled to benefit under the relevant Section without the need for further legislation. The exception involves widows in the 1949 scheme whose husbands died or retired prior to April 1972. Mr Spence said: “I’m glad this matter has been cleared up without recourse to further, time-consuming legislation. I welcome the Minister’s commitment to right a wrong and I know it will be well received within the police ‘family’. “For many widows who lost their husbands, and then remarried, the decision to end their entitlement was an added and painful burden. This pension anomaly stood in the way of some widows getting re-married, and that was an intolerable situation. “Removing a barrier such as this introduces decency and fairness into the system.” The Policing Board/PSNI Pensions Branch will contact widows to confirm the necessary arrangements. Congratulations ladies. Cathryn