The independent campaigning organisation, Liberty, has urged people to email their MPs to support the fight for equal pension treatment for all civil partners and spouses, regardless of their sexual orientation.

The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill is currently making its way through parliament to ensure marriage equality. However the Bill currently contains a clause which would perpetuate inequality in the provision of occupational pension schemes for gay couples by allowing pension providers to pay far lower survivor benefits to gay civil partners and spouses than to straight partners.

In a statement, Liberty stated: “Gay employees pay into their pension schemes in the same way as everyone else and their spouses and civil partners should be entitled to the same benefits as their straight counterparts. It’s a simple matter of fairness.”

Liberty provided an example whereby its client John Walker won a legal battle to secure equal pension benefits for his civil partner. Both his employer and pension provider are appealing this decision, highlighting the inequalities still inherent within the UK pension system.

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