May 2016 | Issue 86 NARPO THE MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONnews OF RETIRED POLICE OFFICERS NARPO - the voice of retired police officers ‘To safeguard the rights of members and to promote measures for their welfare, with particular regards to pensions’ 2 NARPOnews Independent Financial Advice Exclusive offer for NARPO members Are you thinking about releasing funds from the equity in your home? Raising funds from your home using Equity Release could be one of the most important decisions you make in your life. Our advisors have been advising NARPO members for many years and in recent years have arranged a substantial number of Equity Release plans. We only recommend plans covered by the Equity Release Council (ERC) and we never use pressurised selling techniques. 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NARPOIFA00053 0416news - the voice of retired police officers 425601_IFA00053_NARPO_Advert_April_2016.indd 1 04/04/2016 10:14 3 05 07 The President’s Chief’s review inside Briefs Front Cover: Six of the best from the late 24 29 John “JEDD” Edwards, retired Detective Inspector and well- Should A Sad known artist whose cartoons we stay Farewell To were much anticipated and or go? ‘JEDD’ appreciated by NARPO News readers. 09 Readers Letters A ‘Hurdy Gurdy’ 14 Adventure in Sweden Mailing Information 15 What’s on It is important that you notify NARPO HQ of any changes to your address as soon as possible. Please quote your membership number which is Asbestos Exposure Risk printed above your name on the envelope in which 19 Concerns former Police Officers NARPO News is delivered. 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Email: [email protected] 51 Designed & Produced by © Wilson Design House 2015. www.wilsondesignhouse.com Email [email protected] 4 NARPOnews NARPOnews - the voice of retired police officers 8878_005_Dignity_NARPO Advert_A4_V2_AW2_OUTLINES.indd 1 07/04/2016 16:19 5 The Chief’s Briefs Welcome everyone to my first full column in and restore the pensions of those survivors The Committee also says the Department for our magazine and let me start by saying what irrespective of where their loved one served Work and Pensions should now write to those a privilege it is to be the Chief Executive of or when they married, remarried, cohabited or people who stand to receive less in the early such a fantastic organisation. I am extremely formed a civil partnership, and bring the rest of years of the new state pension than previously passionate about the organisation and about the UK into line with Northern Ireland. or have gaps in their contribution record, and improving the ‘lot’ of retired officers and will do You can write to your MP using the template clearly set out the person’s circumstances, all I can to ensure that our views are listened to letter on our website at: http://www.narpo.org/ the projected entitlements and the means of and taken notice of. index.php/notices/widows-pension-for-life- improving them. petition.html The issues I raise below are just some of the current issues that we as an organisation are Police Treatment Centres currently progressing. The New State Pension Both the President and myself have had Came into force on 6 April 2016. Our concerns meetings with representatives from the Police and criticisms of the new scheme have Treatment Centres [Harrogate and Auchterader] Widows Pension For Life featured in previous editions and are and the Police Rehabilitation Centre [Flint Following recent changes to the Regulations well documented. House]. They did accept that perhaps they concerning survivors’ pensions, and how they should have consulted with us more closely, but are dealt with should the survivor remarry, The latest findings show that: the stark reality at both charities is that without a cohabit or form a civil partnership, it has Less than half those reaching State Pension change in their rules their financial sustainability become clear that there are three different Age (SPA) shortly after 2016 will earn the full could not be assured. Indeed, both charities approaches in operation within the United single tier pension of £155 per week. indicated that they would have been in financial Kingdom. In Northern Ireland all survivors of The majority of individuals who have been difficulty by 2020 at the latest, and to do nothing members of the RUC pension scheme now contracted out, like Police Officers, will be was not an option. The meetings were both retain their pensions for life irrespective of winners, as from April 2016 they will be able informative and constructive and we now better the circumstances of the death of the former to build up more state pension each year, understand the Trustees’ decisions in relation to officer. As a result, all survivors are entitled to providing they have a number of years left retired officers. have their pensions reinstated effective from to work before reaching State Pension age. 1 July 2014. On 18th January this year the However, the losers include those whose Following the meeting we made formal 2006 Police [Injury Benefit] Regulations were foundation amount is less than £155 a week requests to both charities to consider granting amended. This change means that survivors’ and who don’t have enough years left between NARPO a trustee on their Board of Trustees. pensions paid in respect of 1987 scheme now and SPA to make up the difference. The Police Treatment Centres have allocated members will no longer be subject to the NARPO a place on their board to be shared forfeiture rule where the police officer dies or Those who have already accrued more than with our retired colleagues in Scotland dies as a result of an injury received on duty. In £155 will not be able to accrue any more state [RPOAS]. The Police Rehabilitation Centre has England and Wales this change only applies pension after April 2016, but may have to made a conscious effort to reduce the number to widows, widowers or surviving civil partners, continue paying higher NICs for no benefit. of their trustees and is still considering our who marry, remarry, form a civil partnership or request. start to cohabit on or after 1 April 2015. This It is important to remember that you will not change came into force retrospectively from 1 receive any less under the new scheme than Finally, for any of you who are enthusiastic April 2015. In Scotland, however, the change you would have received under the bikers, we are in discussions with a company applies to all those wives, husbands or civil old scheme. to offer discounted prices on new motorbikes, partners of police officers who died on duty so watch this space. who have already had their pension withdrawn The Work and Pensions Committee has because of remarriage, forming a civil published a report on the impact of the Well that’s all I can manage to cram into this partnership or cohabitation, and consequently communication regarding the new state edition, but in my view these are the most they will have their pension reinstated with pension in which they conclude that the new pertinent issues we are progressing at the effect from 1 October 2015, irrespective of the scheme has left many people confused about moment and are ones you need to be aware of.