Ex-NI secretary presses for extension to payments deadline for Troubles victims

The Government should act in the interests of “justice and decency” and extend a deadline to secure backdated payments under the Troubles victims’ pension scheme, a former Northern Ireland Secretary has urged.

Lord Peter Hain’s comments come as newly appointed Secretary of State Hilary Benn confirmed he was considering the move.

The payments scheme, which offers financial support for people who suffered physical injury or psychological trauma during the conflict, will close to new applicants in two years’ time.

This is a fundamental matter of justice and decency which is why months ago I asked the previous Secretary of State (Chris Heaton-Harris) to remove next month’s deadline for lump-sum payments, which for many victims could be lifesavers

But the cut-off point for one specific element of the scheme – access to a one-off tax-free payment backdated to 2014 – will come at the end of next month, on August 30.

Applications received after that point will still be considered for the annual pension payments going forward but will not be eligible for the lump-sum backdated payment.

The previous government faced calls to extend the deadline, including from Labour peer Lord Hain and victims’ campaign groups.

They raised concerns that not enough had been done to raise awareness around the existence of the UK-wide scheme beyond Northern Ireland, meaning victims in Great Britain might be oblivious to the support potentially on offer.

Reiterating his request for a deadline extension, Lord Hain told the PA news agency: “This is a fundamental matter of justice and decency which is why months ago I asked the previous Secretary of State (Chris Heaton-Harris) to remove next month’s deadline for lump-sum payments, which for many victims could be lifesavers.”

Kenny Donaldson, director of victims’ advocacy group the South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF), said it was “highly regrettable” that the previous government had not sanctioned an extension of the deadline.

Mr Donaldson said more work was needed to raise awareness about the scheme before any deadline expired.

“We have consistently made the point that the deadline for backdated payments to be eligible is unfair and that it penalises those living in peripheral regions, this includes victims and survivors located across Great Britain,” he said.

“Much is said of the scheme’s national status and whilst this is true within the letter of the law, little to no focus has taken place in raising awareness of the scheme’s existence, so practically, that ‘national’ claim lacks credibility.

We are asking (the Secretary of State) to provide leadership and to restore integrity to the process. We implore him to take action, and extend the deadline, otherwise very many victims and survivors will be unfairly disadvantaged

“We have endeavoured to our best, but without adequate resourcing our effectiveness is very much curtailed.”

Mr Donaldson said that without a deadline extension, many applications would be submitted in a rushed fashion and in incomplete form – creating an administrative headache for the Victims’ Payment Board, which assesses and adjudicates on the applications.

“Six to seven weeks out from the existing backdated deadline, groups in place to support victims and survivors apply to the scheme are sitting with hundreds upon hundreds of people on their waiting lists, the impact this would have upon the scheme will be seismic as many applications are likely to be made in skeleton format, merely enabling them to be logged,” he said.

“Administratively, the headaches will then kick in for the Victims’ Payment Board, the groups providing the support and the victims and survivors themselves.

“We are calling for swift action from the Secretary of State, we are asking that he might demonstrate a level of understanding and empathy with the issues before us, and that he might make an early decision on backdating.

“We are asking him to provide leadership and to restore integrity to the process. We implore him to take action, and extend the deadline, otherwise very many victims and survivors will be unfairly disadvantaged.

“Next week, we will be meeting with the lead official in the NIO whose remit includes TPDPS (Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme), and we will be impressing upon him the need for swift action.”

A spokesman for the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) said: “The Secretary of State is considering evidence to determine whether an extension to the period for backdated payments is warranted.

“He will advise on that decision as quickly as possible.”