Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of war widowers eligible for the war widowers recognition payment received the payment in each of the last five years.

While the exact number of individuals eligible for the War Widow(er)s Recognition Payment Scheme is not known, the number of payments made under the Scheme between its launch on 16 October 2023 and closure on 15 October 2025 is shown below.

Given the continued reduction in application numbers, the Government proceeded with the planned closure of the Scheme, as outlined at its inception.