Forces families urged to claim ‘War Widows’ payment before deadline of October 2025
Specialist Citizens Advice team may be able to help you
Families across Hull and the East Riding who have lost loved ones during military service are being reminded that the deadline to apply to the War Widows Recognition Payment Scheme is fast approaching.
Widow(er)s, including civil partners and unmarried cohabiting partners, of regular and reservist members of the Army, Navy, or Royal Air Force who have lost loved ones during military service, need to apply for the scheme before it closes on October 15, 2025.
The scheme was introduced to support some bereaved spouses who lost their pensions following remarriage or who entered new relationships before 2015.
It provides a one-off tax-free payment of £87,500 to war widows and widowers who forfeited their service-attributable pensions prior to 2015 due to remarriage or cohabitation under the old pension rules and were in receipt of no other payments to recognise the loss of their partner.
Amber, our Service Delivery Manager for Specialist Services, said: “The time-limited scheme launched in 2023, and any new applications need to be placed as soon as possible before it closes.
“At Citizens Advice Hull and East Riding, we have a dedicated Armed Forces Money Advice team who may be able to help you with this.
“We urge anyone who needs support to understand their options to seek initial advice by reaching out to our advice services or by calling our Adviceline on 0808 278 7981.”
Since launching in October 2023, more than 240 individuals who had previously received no financial recognition for their sacrifice have been successfully supported with payments totalling £21m.