From the blog: John Walker is fighting for something very simple: that when he dies, his surviving spouse – a man – should receive the same pension benefits as if he were a woman.
In calculating spousal benefits for same-sex couples, private sector employer pension schemes are currently only required to take into account contributions made after December 2005, when civil partnerships became legal.
If Walker married a woman tomorrow, she would get half his full £85,000 per year pension when he dies, while his husband is in line for only £500. As he says, ‘It’s not just unfair, it’s absurd’.