News story

4th February 2002

Widowers Deserve Fair Deal

Steve Webb MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary for Work and Pensions, will today table a Commons motion, calling on the Government to pay compensation to thousands of widowers who have missed out on benefits and tax allowances because they are men. Mr Webb, who will also raise the matter in a Commons debate today, said:

"The Government has changed the law for those recently widowed but it must act now to put right the injustices of the past. The settlement out of court in the case of Mr Fielding is an admission that an injustice has occurred and it must not be allowed to continue.

"Men and women should have the same rights irrespective of when their loss occurred and we expect the Government to identify and inform everybody affected.

"The Government should be seeking out those who have been affected rather than looking for excuses not to pay. These families have suffered enough and the Government should be generous rather than penny pinching."


ENDS


NOTES TO EDITORS

In 1996, Mr David Fielding was refused 'widows benefits' following the death of his wife. Such benefits were awarded to women who lost their husbands, but not men who lost their wives. The Government introduced a new Bereavement Benefit payable to both men and women in April 2001.

The Government has agreed to pay £14,573.32 to Mr David Fielding in an out of court settlement. The payment is equivalent to a backdated widow's payment and widowed mother's allowance to 1996.

The payment was made before his case was brought before the European Court of Human Rights. This avoids establishing a legal precedent.

Steve Webb MP will table a Commons Motion (EDM), which will put pressure on the Government to ensure all men who found themselves in similar circumstances to Mr Fielding are found and compensated. The EDM says:

"This House notes the longstanding injustice whereby widowers have been denied benefits and tax allowances that are available to widows; notes that the Government chose to settle out of court in a recent case in order to avoid creating a precedent for other widowers; calls on the Government to recognise that the families affected have already suffered enough and to actively identify and compensate widowers who may have missed out on benefits and tax allowances that would have been available to widows in the same circumstances"