Tragic Police Families Promised Support

Partners of police officers killed in the line of duty in NI are to receive financial support through a new government-funded scheme, Minister Paul Goggins has announced.

The Police Survivor Support Scheme, which is a UK-wide initiative, will provide a one-off payment of up to £20,000 to assist the partners of deceased officers who have formed a new relationship, thus making them ineligible for their survivor pension.

Paul Goggins MP said: "In Northern Ireland, many brave men and women of the RUC and PSNI have paid the ultimate sacrifice whilst serving their community.

"The partners of those brave men and women deserve our support and the Police Survivor Support Scheme will provide financial assistance as they continue to re-build their lives."

The initiative will be run by the Police Dependants' Trust (PDT), which has been providing financial support to the families of officers killed on duty for over 40 years.

PDT Chief Executive David French said: "The Trust has been operating since 1966 and we are delighted to work with the Northern Ireland Office to administer the scheme for widows in Northern Ireland.

"It should also be noted that all those eligible for this scheme should have been registered with us already. I hope that many more will be able to access the assistance that the Trust may be able to offer," he said, underlining that the Police Survivor Support Scheme is a UK-wide initiative.

The formation of the Police Survivor Support Scheme fulfils a pledge made by former Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, to support families left struggling financially when a special or augmented pension is stopped on remarriage, formation of a new (registered) civil partnership, or cohabitation.

A special or augmented pension is paid to the surviving spouse of a police officer who has died as a result of their injuries suffered in the line of duty.

(BMcC/GK)