ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½

Use ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½.com or the new ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ App to listen to ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ podcasts, Radio 4 and the World Service outside the UK.

Episode details

Radio 5 Live,1 min

Army widow: "I lose my pension" if re-marry or cohabit

5 Live In Short

Available for over a year

Joanna Palmer's husband, who served in the army, died when she was 52. Mrs Palmer spoke about how the prospect of losing his pension can affect a new relationship: "It's very painful for us that we can't even dream of an old age of sitting by the fire with someone you care for and want to look after," she said. The government is under pressure to change the laws around pensions for the wives and husbands of dead servicemen and women. Currently if a soldier dies off duty, then his or her spouse loses the pension if they re-marry or move in with a new partner. Now a group called Justice for Widows, which includes Joanna Lumley, Kate Adie and Martin Bell, has written an open letter to the Times, trying to get the law overturned. This clip is from Breakfast on 9 March.

Programme Website
More episodes