Human Resources
Injury Awards Review
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On 24 April 2009, the government published a document containing a digest of the responses received to the injury benefits consultation.
The review of police injury benefits (new window) consultation closed on 18 November 2008. It ran for 12 weeks and provided everyone with an opportunity to make their own views heard.
Effective, efficient and consistent
The review gave people the chance to ensure we have an injury awards system that:
- is suitable for modern day policing
- provides assistance to officers and their families as effectively as possible
- is administered efficiently and with consistency across all forces.
The proposals in the consultation document covered a range of issues, including the eligibility criteria for receiving an award, the structure of benefits under the scheme for both former officers and their survivors, and the role of police authorities and selected medical practitioners.
Key proposals included:
- the introduction of life-long adult survivor benefits and the extension of survivor benefits to unmarried and unregistered partners
- a simplification of survivor awards, so that they are all based on average pensionable pay and are easier to understand and apply
- revising the eligibility criteria so it conforms more closely to the concept of ‘in the line of duty’. This includes removing eligibility for injuries sustained on journeys to and from work, and deaths sustained in the same circumstances
- a five-year time limit for new post retirement claims, except in the case of named progressive illnesses or those with a long incubation period, and an automatic cut-off for new claims at 65
- an automatic halving of each officer’s minimum income guarantee at 65, with no further reviews.
Changes to the injury benefits regulations will affect all officers serving at the time of any changes. Former police officers and their dependents will remain subject to the provisions applicable at the time that they ceased active service.
Next steps
41 responses were received in total, including 30 force, police authority or staff side responses, and 11 responses from other organisations or individuals.
We published a response document (new window) containing a digest of the responses received to the consultation on 24 April 2009.
Responses to the public consultation exercise demonstrated a good level of agreement with, or at least acceptance of, the majority of the proposals made. Further consultation with the police negotiating board (PNB), separate from the public consultation exercise, has resulted in good progress on 12 of the remaining proposals. Particular concerns were raised regarding five of the proposals, and we will continue to consult with the PNB, with a view to resolving these issues.
Subject to the outcome of ongoing consultation with the PNB and the necessary parliamentary approval, we will bring forward the measures necessary to implement amendments to the police injury benefits system later in 2009.
