Work ongoing to ensure RUC widows get pensions: Ford

Widows of RUC officers have had pension payments delayed.

In August the Sentinel reported how RUC widows whose pensions were restored by the will of the Northern Ireland Assembly in July still weren’t receiving their due income as a result of unresolved technical issues between the Treasury and the Department of Finance.

DUP MLA for North Antrim David McIlveen recently asked the Minister of Justice to outline his plans to resolve the issues around police widows’ pensions and ensure that all widows were treated equally.

Mr Ford replied: “I remain keen to give effect to the will of the Assembly that, under Section 30 of the Public Service Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2014, police widows remarrying after January 1, 1989 should retain, or have reinstated, their pensions.”

He added: “I wrote to the Finance Minister to seek assurances regarding this and I have very recently received his response.

“My officials will work closely with the Policing Board and the PSNI to urgently resolve any outstanding matters, including eligibility and affordability, with a view to commencing payments at the earliest opportunity.”