Widow claims payments not enough

A Guernsey widow claims changes to the bereavement payments system meant she was forced to find a job too soon after her husband died two years ago.
Anne Rihoy said the year-long payments did not give her enough time to grieve before she was forced to find a job.
Before 2004, if a woman was widowed over the age of 40 she would receive a widow's pension until the age of 65.
The Social Security Department reformed the payments because there were no such benefits for men whose wives had died.

The department has sympathy for anyone who has been bereaved Malcolm Nutley, social security department

From 2004 the widow's pension was changed to a bereavement allowance, currently £154.75 per week.
It can be claimed by both men and women who are over 45 when widowed, but runs for just 52 weeks.
Mrs Rihoy said: "I think a year is definitely not enough - I think it should be three years or five years to get your head round it, sort out what you want to do.
"It definitely eases the worry of general things. You have no income coming in and it would help a lot of people."
Social security administrator Malcolm Nutley said: "The department took the view that in some cases the pensions were being paid to widows who were in work and who remained in work."
He added that the department had improved bereavement benefits in other areas.
"The department has sympathy for anyone who has been bereaved.
"If a widow or widower is struggling after the 52 weeks of bereavement allowance ends, we will be keen to see how we might help with support from supplementary benefits." (from BBC)

,,,,we will be keen to see how we might help ,,,,,

Oh reallly!!!!!!!!!







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since when did supp become nice and helpful to peeps.

Thistle wrote:since when did supp become nice and helpful to peeps.

isnt SB helpful ?

if not whats the point of it ?

The Gimp wrote:

Thistle wrote:since when did supp become nice and helpful to peeps.

isnt SB helpful ? if not whats the point of it ?

Now, that is a question? What are others views?







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The Gimp wrote:

Thistle wrote:since when did supp become nice and helpful to peeps.

isnt SB helpful ?

if not whats the point of it ?

For thistle isn't a years allowance nice and helpful? Sitting on the fence and taking emotion out of it, why should the state support people long term when that person loses a partner?

maybe if you were in the ladies position you would be thinking differently plimmerton.unfortunately guernseys benefit system helps those who are not prepared to help themselves and penalises those who do try .is it any different where you are living now.

There has to be a cut off point, and a year isn't too far wrong I don't think. If the lady in question was suffering depression or some other illness as a result of her loss then couldn't her doctor sign her off and she could get sickness benefit?

Why is it only for over 45s though? I can't see the sense in that all all.

Thistle wrote:maybe if you were in the ladies position you would be thinking differently plimmerton.unfortunately guernseys benefit system helps those who are not prepared to help themselves and penalises those who do try .is it any different where you are living now.

I would not like to be in the lady's position and I do not advocate a widow throwing herself on the funeral pyre but I do question how far down the road, we as a society have come to depend on the welfare state.
Techno' asks a valid question (or two) why only over 45's perhaps someone under 45 doesn't feel grief!! and what about sickness benefit if someone is incapable of supporting themselves. Could it also be in alot of circumstances after a year part of the healing process could be increased social activity that work would bring.

some people would find going into the workplace after several years of being a homemaker very difficult plimmerton.surely the ladies husband had paid into the states insurance scheme without ever drawing anything out due to his untimely demise.if they had been paying into an ordinary insurance policy they would have been paid out in a lump sum.

Thistle wrote:some people would find going into the workplace after several years of being a homemaker very difficult plimmerton.surely the ladies husband had paid into the states insurance scheme without ever drawing anything out due to his untimely demise.if they had been paying into an ordinary insurance policy they would have been paid out in a lump sum.

I'm not sure how you come to that conclusion Thistle. If the lady's husband had been very ill there's a good chance he'd have benefited from Social Security in a variety of ways.

I do have sympathty in cases such as these, but there has to be a limit on how much can be paid out in standard cases. As I said previously, if the lady is unable to work through illness and/or grief couldn't she be helped from a different angle?

Thistle wrote:some people would find going into the workplace after several years of being a homemaker very difficult plimmerton.surely the ladies husband had paid into the states insurance scheme without ever drawing anything out due to his untimely demise.if they had been paying into an ordinary insurance policy they would have been paid out in a lump sum.

I do not disagree that people would find it difficult to change but that is not what is being discussed. Finding it difficult and finding it impossible is two different things. Perhaps the lady in question did have private insurance and did receive a lump sum payout at least to cover any mortgage which is required by a bank when you take a mortgage out. I have seen nothing to suggest that she did not so you either know she did not or are making an assumption to support your arguement. Who says that he did not draw anything out of the states scheme, his illness may have lingered.
You have a choice to pay into an insurance scheme to receive a lump sum. You can not compare the states scheme with a private insurance company because they are chalk and cheese. One is compulsory and the other is based on the level of risk the private company is willing to charge on your health/lifestyle.