Fiona Murphy, editor of Professional Adviser's sister title COVER, reviews the 10 biggest stories in the protection, private medical insurance and employee benefits sectors during 2016.
1) Bereavement benefit couples face £82m 'living together penalty' This story highlighted just how outdated certain elements of the state benefit system can be. Under bereavement allowances, couples who are not married but live together (and may have children and are financially dependent on one another) are not eligible to receive anything when their partner dies. This issue has been raised in front of MPs and championed by Royal London but there has been no resolve to date. Last week a ruling which gave an unmarried mother entitlement to a widowed parent's allowance after her partne...
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