Landmark pension ruling


A man has won his five-year legal battle to secure equal pension benefits for his husband in a landmark victory for LGBT rights.


The ruling, made earlier this month, is expected to change the lives of thousands of same-sex couples across the UK.


The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that an exemption in the Equality Act — letting employers exclude same-sex partners from spousal benefits paid into pension funds before December 2005 — is discriminatory and breaches EU equality laws. 


Companies taking advantage of the exemption will now be breaking the law.


It marks the end of a lengthy fight for John Walker and human rights organisation Liberty, after an initial employment tribunal victory in 2012.


TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “The ruling results from the equality rights that come from the EU. The government must make sure that the Repeal Bill and the Brexit deal do not allow these rights to be rolled back after Britain has left the EU.”


http://touchstoneblog.org.uk/2017/07/supreme-court-battle-leads-pension-equality-sex-couples