Remarriage

War widows' pensions

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 27, 2020

In April 2015, they changed to allow all recipients of survivors pensions (whether under the War Pensions Scheme or AFABS) who remarried, formed a civil partnership or started cohabiting after that date, to keep their pension.

Key Points: 
  • In April 2015, they changed to allow all recipients of survivors pensions (whether under the War Pensions Scheme or AFABS) who remarried, formed a civil partnership or started cohabiting after that date, to keep their pension.
  • Therefore, there are no plans to reinstate war widows' pensions for war widows who remarried between 1973 and 2005.
  • The Department regularly receives representation from the War Widows Association as they are members of the Central Advisory Committee and the retention of war widows' pensions on remarriage or cohabitation is one of the issues we have engaged on in recent years.
  • Friend the Prime Minister on 8 November 2014, which allowed widows, widowers and surviving civil partners of all members of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme and the War Pensions Scheme to retain their pensions for life came into effect from 1 April 2015.