Age Concern challenges SERPS cut for widows and widowers

Campaigning charity Age Concern is supporting a European Human Rights Court test case against the UK government over the failure to inform people about changes that will halve the amount of SERPS (State Earnings Related Pension Scheme) a widow or widower can inherit.

The government announced that the change would be delayed until October 2002 and a scheme is being set up to provide redress to people who have been misled (see Bargaining Report 208, page 22).

The Age Concern case will argue that the halving of inherited SERPS without publicity or individual notification contravenes Article 1, Protocol 1, of the European Convention on Human Rights, which enshrines the entitlement to peaceful enjoyment of possessions 'subject to the conditions provided for by law'.

For a free copy of the Age Concern England briefing paper giving background on the campaign on SERPS for widows and widowers call free on 08457 009966.