BRITISH PENSIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19473, 7 May 1925, Page 9

BRITISH PENSIONS

EXTENSION OF BENEFITS. HUGE’ CAPITAL INVOLVED. k'.uos association—By Tolesrraph—Copyrlg iv, LONDON, May 5. The pensions scheme outlined by Mr Churchill in his Budget speech aro dealt with in detail in the Widows and Orphans and Old Age Contributory Pensions Bills, published to-day. They are accompanied by an explanatory memorandum and tho Government Actuary’s report. The now scheme contemplates old-age pensions at 65, instead of at 70, which pass on attainment of the age of 70 into pensions under the Old-Age Pensions Act, and are freed from the restrictions and disqualifications at present applying thereto. Persons ceasing to bo compulsorily insurable on leaving their employment, or who had already ceased to be insured before the inception of tho new scheme, are given the option to continue or resume insurance as voluntary contributors at the full rate of contribution ordinarily payable by tho employer and employee jointly. Thus everyone who at some time was insurably employed for a minimum period of two years is enabled to take advantage of the scheme. Voluntary contributors, equally with employees, must be insured for health insurance and pension. Certain classes of persons who are exempted from liability to be insured for health insurance arc now required to be insured for the widows and orphans’ opd old age pensions if their terms of employment do not provide these benefits. Special provision is made for widows and children ot insured persons who died before tho inception of the scheme. Provisions to safeguard the scheme against abuses include clauses whereby the wives and widows of men marrying after 60 are only entitled to a pension when or if they are married for four years, unless in the case of widows there are children of the marriage. Provision is made for the payment of childrens or widows’ pensions to third parties for the beneficiaries’ account if circumstances justify it. A widow b pension may be cancelled or suspended if the court reports any convictim. A widow is disqualified from receiving a pension if she is cohabiting with a man. The Government Actuary estimates the capital value of the liability assumed by the Exchequer under the scheme for compulsorily insured persons at £556,000,000, for voluntary contributors at £12,000,000, and for widowed mothers and children at £42,000,000; and tho extended rights to old-ame pensioners at 70 years at £126,000,000. Tho scheme provides that those insured must continuously reside in Britain for at least two years immediately prior to death or the date of attaining tho age of 65 years, and the last employment, excluding temporary employment, excluding tmeporary employment, must have been in Britain. —A. and N.Z. Cable. SUGGESTED ARRANGEMENT WITH DOMINIONS. LONDON, May 5. (Received May 6, at 7.15 p.m.) Lieutenant-Colonel Heneago, Conservative member for Louth, suggested a mutual arrangement with the dominions, by whim men and women could receive old-age pensions who at present are debarred because of having spent some of tho qualifying period in the dominions. Mr Winston Churchill said he would take note of the suggestion, which would require legislation.—Reuter.