February 2014 | Issue 77 NARPO THE MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONnews OF RETIRED POLICE OFFICERS Top Gear, a Model T Ford and Monte Carlo... 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 NARPOnews - the voice of retired police officers 3 05 07 Message from the President’s inside editor review Front Cover: NARPO member Peter 25 29 Yeoman takes his model The Extras - T Ford to Monte Carlo and Top Gear Life after joins the Top Gear Team. Experience the job See page 25 for full article. 09 Readers Letters 14 Benefits Update Mailing Information 18 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 printed above your name on the envelope in which 21 Hawkridge Lasting Legacy NARPO News is delivered. Tel: 01924 362 166 (Disclosure) Order of 1997 and confirm to the British Code of Poets Corner Advertising Practice. Articles 34 contributed by the editorial staff may not be reproduced without permission in writing from The Editor. Treatment of Property in the means test for Permanent NARPONEWS is published by The National Association of Retired 35 Care Home Provison Opinions expressed by authors and Police Officers (NARPO), services offered by advertisers are NARPO House, 38 Bond not specifically endorsed by Street, Wak efield, West the Association. Yorkshire WF1 2QP. Chief Executive Officer. Book em The Editor reserves the right to refuse Tel: 01924 362 166 info 37 or withdraw advertisements at his Fax: 01924 372088 discretion and does not accept Email: [email protected] liability for clerical or printer’s errors, although every care is taken to For further information about avoid mistakes. 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If you have not accrued who broadly want an inclusive and dignified Single Tier State Pension 35 qualifying years on reaching state retirement old age, where more than their basic needs The Government intend to introduce a new age you will get a payment pro rata to the are met; where Government recognise the single tier state pension from 2016. The new number of years you have accrued. promises either real or implied to a group whose legislation has gone through Parliament almost The Government have said that you will be in finances rely entirely on pensions, benefits without a single dissenting voice from any party no worse a position on retirement under the and savings income and where there is some in the house. It has been sold as a simpler new scheme in these circumstance than if you acknowledgement of the part that they have system which will deliver the equivalent of had retired under the existing scheme, but played in establishing a relatively prosperous £144.00 basic state pension to all pensioners you should be clear that there are likely to be and safe society. from its introduction. The question is whether a significant number of people who will not be this statement is true or not and all members eligible for the full single tier payment in these or NARPO is keen to engage in the debate leading should consider what the new single tier state similar circumstances. up to the next election with a view to protecting pension means to them. the interests of our members. Achieving this Finally, if you are currently in receipt of a on our own would be much more difficult than There are, I believe, some key facts that state pension or reach state pension age, seeking allies in this project and so the National members should understand before assuming whether you chose to take it or not, before the Executive Committee has sought to join with that the new ‘single’ figure pension amount will introduction of the new state pension scheme, the Civil Service Pensioners Alliance and the apply to them. I hope to simplify those issues none of this applies to you as you will be stuck National Federation of Occupational Pensioners but in order to do that I need to describe certain in the old scheme for life. in seeking to influence the election debate. elements of the current state pension system. We are currently in the early stages of Currently the state offers two levels of pension. The Government appear to have recognised developing a strategy and timetable together The basic state pension and the second state these shortfalls in the new state pension with an outline of the key issues we think pension, originally called SERPS now simply scheme, perhaps because pensioner are likely to impact on everybody’s later life S2P. Public sector schemes, like the police organisations like NARPO have been telling ambitions. We are planning that this campaign pension scheme, were opted out of the second them, and in his Autumn Statement, the will be progressed jointly with the other state pension and members paid a lower rate Chancellor announced the introduction of a associations and our combined membership of National Insurance but were only eligible for scheme to allow those affected to purchase of around 250,000. As the campaign develops the basic state pension. Currently you require 30 extra National Insurance benefits towards we will feature articles in NARPO News and qualifying years to be entitled to the maximum additional pension benefit. At the time of on our website, Twitter and Facebook. We are basic state pension. writing final details of this new pension benefits planning that you can have your say and make purchase proposal were not available. your views known at our annual conference Some police officers who retired and went into Further details and advice can be found on in Brighton in September. So look out for the other occupations may have paid National Government website, a link to which can be campaign launch in the late summer of 2014. Insurance at the higher rate and may have found at www.narpo.org – click on ‘Pensions’ Come along to Conference, further details become entitled to some second state pension where the links can be accessed. of which appear in the centrefolds of this payments on retirement. magazine. Join with our friends at CSPA and Later Life Ambitions NFOP and make our voice heard by those who The new single tier scheme means that With a General Election approaching in May seek our votes. there will be no opt out and no second state 2015, politicians are posturing and the press pension. This will mean for those still in service are speculating on issues that are likely to Jim Jardine OBE in the police pension scheme, there will be a be the key to political success. Differences It was with much sadness that I heard about requirement for both the individual and their between the parties are being identified in an the death of Jim Jardine OBE, the former employer to pay additional National Insurance effort to show their individual values. What, Chairman of the Police Federation. Jim was payments towards the single tier scheme. In however, is becoming clear is that pensioner the strong leader of the rank and file of the a tight fiscal public sector, this is likely to have benefits in general and some pensioner benefits service during those difficult times in the late some consequences on the overall budgets but in particular are likely to come in for some seventies when unrest and dissatisfaction with will mean serving officers paying more towards consideration by all parties. pay and conditions forced the Government of a state pension. the day to establish the Edmund Davies Royal The new single tier pension and how it impacts Commission into policing. As many of you For those retiring in the near future, there on current pensioners, universal pensioner will recall, this not only led to improvements are further consequences as there is now a benefits, like the bus pass and winter heating in pay but also established a pay negotiating requirement to have accrued 35 qualifying allowance, together with the whole question of machinery, which recognised the status of the years before a full new single tier pension is care provision and its related cost are matters police as constables. It is ironic that his death payable. Unfortunately, if you have been paying currently the subject of press and political comes at a time when the Government are at the opted out rate, as in the police service, speculation or Parliamentary proposal. This dismantling much of what was achieved at that you will not get a year for a year towards those however is not an exhaustive list of things time. Our condolences go to Jim’s wife Gwen qualifying years as you will have been paying at that affect the quality of life of older people and her family.