Campaigns and Projects
Since the beginning, the War Widows Association has been a campaigning organisation.
We positively engage with the UK Government on matters relating to war widows(er)s and their dependants, and take action to ensure that war widow(er)s are fairly treated and are not disadvantaged in any way.
We also run projects to directly benefit our members, as well as raising money and awareness of our charity.
Latest Campaigns and Projects
Raising the Profile of UK Military Bereaved Family
The majority of the UK Military Bereaved Family are not Veterans and their needs are very different. The Ministry of Defence and the Government tend to try and fit us
Exploring Military Widows’ Experiences of Social Isolation and Loneliness
This two-year study captures the experiences of military widows irrespective of the circumstances surrounding their partner’s death.
War Widows InTouch (WW.it)
WWA Members received iPads and training with the aim to reduce loneliness and social isolation.
Campaign 300
The WWA Trustees are fighting for 300 of our war widow members to have their pension restored.
‘Knock on the Door’
War Widows ‘Knock on the Door’: An Exploratory Study of the Experiences of Bereaved Military Families.
Cooking Memories: War Widows Cookbook
To launch our 50th Anniversary year we have created a cook book with the help of our lovely members and supporters.
Our Legacy
1972 - 1979: Removal of income tax from WW Pension
In 1971 a group of war widows came together to discuss the fact that the war widows’ pension was fully taxed in the UK. This was not the case for ladies living in some overseas countries and receiving a UK war widows’ pension. In 1972 the group took a petition for the abolishment of the tax to No 10 Downing St. In 1976 they succeeded in having 50% of the tax removed; the remaining 50% was removed in 1979.
Extra age allowance
The War Widows Association helped in bringing about an extra age allowance for war widows. Initially this was given at 65 but subsequently added to at age 70 and 80.
1989: Improved pension for pre-1973 War Widows
The war widows who received a pension pre-1973 were very badly treated. Their pension was shockingly small and not enough to allow them to raise their children in the way they would have wished. The WWA started a campaign to have this improved and managed to encourage other charities to join in the campaign. This campaign was successful in 1989 and the original pension was greatly improved. A tea party was held in Regent’s Park to celebrate.
1995: Reinstatement of pension after remarriage
The War Widows Association campaigned to enable war widows who had remarried and been forced to relinquish their war widows’ pension to apply for reinstatement if they became single again. They were successful in this campaign in 1995.
Sponsored Pilgrimage
Many war widows had never had the opportunity to visit the grave of their husband if he had been buried overseas. The WWA managed to get sponsored pilgrimages renewed, which allowed them to visit these graves.
2015: A Pension for Life
After 1st April 2015 all war widows’ pensions became a pension for life, irrespective of the circumstances. This was in line with The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme which was introduced in 2005. The AFCS compensates any injury, illness or death which was caused by service on or after 2005. Sadly this left a small cohort of ladies who were still without their pension due to remarriage or cohabitation and this has resulted in the current campaign: Campaign 300.
Donate
The War Widows Association is managed totally by volunteers.
The Association does not have any paid staff or office premises and has long benefited from the tradition of gifts, donations and legacies from members and supporters who have valued the service and friendship we are able to offer.
Funds raised will be used to support our current members and improve conditions for the war widows community.
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