Hereford and South Herefordshire MP Jesse Norman has enthusiastically welcomed changes to pension rules that will allow war widows and widowers to keep their survivors’ pensions for life.

From 1 April 2015 all members of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 75 and the War Pensions Scheme will retain their armed forces pension for life - regardless of whether their partner or spouse died as a result of service or whether the surviving partner remarries or cohabits. Previously, some surviving partners were obliged to surrender their pensions if they remarried or moved in with a new partner.

Commenting on the reforms, Jesse said: “Families give up so much in order to support their loved ones serving in the military. Spouses and civil partners often find it difficult to earn their own occupational pensions because of the many demands of service life.

"I am delighted that the government has listened to the needs of service families, and worked with the Forces Pension Society and the War Widows’ Association to correct this historic unfairness in the pension rules.”