Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department has to provide additional financial support for the widows of police officers who completed the majority of their service under the 1987 Pension Scheme even if they have remarried or cohabit after losing a spouse.

The 1987 Police Pension Scheme provides survivor benefits to widows, widowers, and civil partners of police officers who die. In line with most public service pension schemes of that era, these benefits cease upon remarriage or cohabitation.

With the introduction of the 2006 and 2015 Police Pension Schemes, all eligible officers were able to join a pension scheme that provides life-long survivor benefits for spouses, civil partners and unmarried partners, including for those who remarry or cohabit after losing a spouse.

The 1987 police pension scheme is a closed scheme and there are no plans at this time to make any further improvements to benefits accrued in it.