NARPO: Injury review awards – Northumbira and West Yorkshire

The National Association of Retired Police Officers (NARPO) deplore the actions of the Northumbria and West Yorkshire Police Authorities in their action of reducing at a stroke the injury benefit of our local members over the age of 65.

Whilst NARPO acknowledge the right of Police Authorities to review those on injury awards we think it is a cynical move on behalf of these Authorities to use a Home Office advisory circular to disguise the fact that they have a good deal of discretion in the timing and regularity of any reviews of this nature. In any case we believe that to reduce payments to those over 65 years, who have come to expect a certain level of income including that in respect of the injury award and have set their lifestyle accordingly is both unfair and outside the general spirit of the Home Office advice.

NARPO believe that this is simply a cost saving measure with no consideration of its implications for those whose lives have been adversely affected by injuries received in their public protection role.

Eric Evans the President of NARPO said, ‘ Where is the consideration and protection for those of our members who are approaching the twilight of their lives already limited by the injuries they have received and all the difficulties those disabilities bring. They are now being threatened with a virtually automatic reduction in their income which will be impossible for them to make up in any way at their age. It’s bound to affect their standard of life, whilst the Police Authorities will congratulate themselves on relatively low overall savings from this exercise.’