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Written question asked by Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 30 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 2 July 2026. It was answered by Sarah Jones (Labour) on Monday, 6 July 2026 on behalf of the Home Office.

Police: Workplace Pensions

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of surviving spouses, civil partners and partners who may be affected by the remarriage and cohabitation provisions of the Police Pension Scheme 1987.

Answer

The most recent actuarial valuation of the police pension schemes in England and Wales as at 31 March 2020, shows that there are approximately 27,000 dependants in receipt of a pension. This figure includes dependants other than surviving partners and is for all schemes, not just the 1987 scheme.

The Government Actuary’s Department has estimated that removing the provision on ceasing pensions for current or future spouses, civil partners and partners who remarry or cohabit could increase overall scheme liabilities by around £190 million and reinstating previously ceased pensions by a further £70 million, using the data as at 31 March 2020.

It is not possible to estimate accurately the number who will lose their pension if they remarry or cohabit. However, cost assumptions have been made by the Government Actuary’s Department based on historic data of survivor pension cessations as a result of remarriage or cohabitation showing an average of 25 remarriages a year from 2008 – 2020. The breakdown of data is not held by the Home Office.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
14546
Session
2026-27
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Cohabitation Police Workplace pensions Married people Widowed people
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk