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UK supreme court backs woman’s right to receive late partner’s pension
Not social welfare law, but may be of interest
From the guardian:
A Northern Ireland woman who was refused payments from her former partner’s pension has won her battle to extend benefits automatically to those who are unmarried ...
Her victory at the supreme court marks a significant extension of the rights of unmarried cohabitees. It brings the Northern Ireland public pensions scheme into line with changes already made in England, Wales and Scotland and could also advance the rights of millions of families across the UK seeking equal treatment for cohabiting couples in other areas such as the tax regime. The five justices said that the refusal to pay her the pension was unlawful.
Judgment: https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2014-0180.html
noticeable that it was a government type pension, so very useful for those whose pensions are from/should be from emanations of the state.
i was pleased to be able to send the link to a friend of mine who has been caught by this!
it may well not be the same for private pension schemes from private employers, though, as it seems to me much of this relied on EU law which is directly effective against government etc but not against private entities.