Page 7 - In Force Sring 2018

Benevolent Fund: an invaluable safety net

Are you in the Force Benevolent Fund? If amount back every month from your Fund, which provides money for children of
not, why not? wages or pay a lump sum when your members who become incapacitated or die.
For just 85p a month for police staff circumstances improve.
(£1 for police officers) you can join the “Even if you are one of the lucky ones Are you in the Death Benefit
fund and know that, if you ever need it, it who never needs to apply, you will know Scheme?
will be there for you. that your contribution is going towards We would all like to think that we will live
It’s not just about comforts when sick, helping your colleagues at the times when to a ripe all age and so we probably ignore
maternity grants and death grants but they need it most. the adverts about the exorbitant costs of a
also a safety net which you may think you “So, if you’re not already a member funeral.
will never need even though none of us check it out on the intranet and fill in the But this is not always the case, as we
know what is round the corner. forms or talk to Dominique and she’ll tell can all testify with instances in our
In the words of one subscriber: you all about it. You’ll never miss that personal lives where somebody dies at a
“I had cause to approach the fund recently money from your wages every month but relatively young age. Please think of those
as my circumstances had changed there may come a time when, like me, you would leave behind and the initial
through no fault of my own and I was you’ll be so glad you joined.” problems they would be faced with, bills,
struggling. The forms you have to fill in Another officer said: “What the fund mortgage payments and so on.
are no different to any other loan in fact did for my family during a very difficult The Force’s Death Benefit Scheme will
they are less intrusive and quicker than time was truly wonderful.” cost you £15 following the death of a
most. Once submitted, my request was Information about the Benevolent subscribing member and, at the current
dealt with within a few days and the Fund and its benefits can be obtained rate, there would be an amount of around
money was in the bank by the end of the from fund representatives based on area/ £25,000 raised for that member’s family to
week. It is all confidential (the committee departments. Details can also be found on help with the immediate concerns.
don’t know the name of the person who the Benevolent Fund page via the internal Should the Force be unfortunate to
has applied) and the fund administrator, website. have more than one death in a calendar
Dominique Allen, was brilliant at For more information email month, there is a provision for deductions
explaining how it works and helping to fill Dominique.allen@leicestershire.pnn. to be done over consecutive months.
in the application. police.uk The scheme is also insured and
“Loans of up to £9,000 are available if The Benevolent Fund makes payments dependent on the membership at renewal
the situation requires it and they also give to the Police Dependants’ Trust which time the premium has never exceeded
grants in situations of real difficulty. All helps members, or their dependants, who £2.00 when it becomes due in January.
cases are treated individually so the are killed or become incapacitated in the If you want to join the Death Benefit
repayment plan is tailored to suit you – for line of duty. Scheme, please contact Dominique Allen
example, you can pay a nominated And it makes a payment to the Gurney who will send you the form.

Fund offers comfort in time of need

My husband (police officer and I (police support staff) were both members news and couldn’t believe what had happened. We had two children, who
of the Death Benefit Scheme. We joined because we felt it was important to at the time were three and nine and the prospect of being left alone to
support our colleagues in times of need. At no time did we believe we would bring the children up, not knowing how I was going to cope and go
need that support. through the grieving process with them on top of sorting out our financial
Unfortunately, I lost my husband four years ago unexpectedly and we affairs was a frightening thought.
had not made a will. The initial payment from the scheme was received Thankfully, my family liaison officer was quick to allay my financial
within days and helped me with deposits on funeral costs and other fears and informed me that because Andy had paid into the fund there
monthly outgoings until power of attorney paperwork came through so would be a cheque which would help me to sort out all the bills due out
that other monies could be released. I am still a member of the Death that month and keep me going without having to worry where the next
Benefit Scheme. It gives me peace of mind that my beneficiaries will not mortgage payment was coming from or how I was going to pay the bills
have to worry about where the money is coming from when it comes to that were due.
dealing with my estate. Nobody likes to think that their family will ever be in this position and
you may well think that it’s not worth paying into such a scheme but if
I am the widow of PC 1525 Andrew Munn. When Andy joined Leicestershire you have dependants/children etc who will depend on help, especially if
Police he decided what contributions he wanted to make out of his monthly you aren’t around to provide it, then it’s a comforting thought to know
wages. I remembered the fact that one of the contributions was that if any that the likes of me were given the luxury of not having to worry about
police officer died during service that every police officer who paid into the how I was going to pay my bills on top of everything else that was
scheme would pay approximately £10 each to help the families of the fallen happening to us.
officer. Andy thought this was a worthwhile thing of which to be part. If it weren’t for the fact that Andy decided to pay into these funds, I’m
In August 2002 Andy and his colleague, Bryan Moore, were killed while sure those first few months after he died would have been a lot more
on duty. difficult to deal with from a financial point of view. My thanks go to these PAGE 7
In the early hours of 15 August 2002, I was awoken by his colleagues funds and to all those who pay into them to provide this help and support
who informed me that Andy had been killed. We were all devastated at the for people like me.