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Portsmouth and South East Hampshire Narpo Branch Welfare coordinator is Alan Martin ably supported by David Burgess.
Email: welfare@portsmouthnarpo.org.uk
If a member, partner or spouse is in hospital or taken seriously ill the welfare coordinator will with permission of the individual, circulate this information to our members so that they can make contact. Where appropriate a suitable card will be sent on behalf of the Chairman Committee and Branch.
We are able to access in times of bereavement the attendance of a serving Police Officer to represent the Force at the funeral if the exigencies of operational needs allow (temporarily suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic). In addition we can arrange for the delivery to a named undertaker a 'Force Flag' to drape the coffin. Where a retired Portsmouth City Officer is involved this branch possesses a specifically designed 'Drape' which is made available.
During this difficult time we will offer support and practical assistance in ensuring as many former colleagues are made aware of the loss of a member or spouse.
- Provide a contact telephone number for Police pensions department 01962 845588
- Ensure a condolence card and Narpo information booklet entitled 'In Time of Need' is sent to the surviving spouse on behalf of the Chairman, Committee and Branch members.
- Make arrangements for flowers or a charitable donation following the family's wishes.
- The Force have its own welfare department telephone number 02380 478394
Transitioning into Retirement Survey
NARPO have launched a Transitioning in to Retirement Survey to gather the views of members to help improve he services and resources available. To read the post click here. To complete the survey click Survey.
Obituaries
Announcements of current and former officers and staff who have sadly passed away.
Please click here to see the obituaries.
As the Hampshire Constabulary website no longer provides the details of the deaths of retired officers other that their name and date of passing, we are now including our own list of obituaries for members of our branch as per the above link.
When trying to complete obituaries it is sometimes very difficult to obtain the relevant information about a member's service history especially if they have lived to a ripe old age. At this time there may be no family around who has this knowledge and the Hampshire Constabulary no lon+ger keeps these details available. As a result our Welfare Team sometimes struggle to do justice to the member concerned.
To try to overcome this problem we are inviting members (on a purely voluntary basis) to supply us with this information whilst it is still fresh in their minds. The sort of detail that we are looking for would include the following:
Name, date of birth, date of joining/retiring, any other police forces in which served, stations in which served, rank achieved, specialist attachments and any other noteworthy items.
This information can be passed to our secretary so that it can be included on our records system which is confidential and subject to 'Data Protection' rules. It can then be resurrected for use at the appropriate time, which may be helpful to relatives at a time of bereavement. Click HERE for Portsmouth and South East Hampshire Branch obituaries.
Retired Officers and the Force Welfare Fund - Who Are We and What Do We Do?
When you were a serving officer you may have contributed to the Force Welfare Fund and upon retiring believed you were not able to access the help and assistance. This is not the case.
The fund supports serving officers and staff and when retired you are still able to access the Welfare Fund with financial support when times get tough, whatever the reason
Hampshire Constabulary Welfare Fund is a registered charity and some examples of help we have provided are:
- £333.00 Assistance to a police widower to pay for nursing home arrears.
- £3688.00 Assistance to a police widow for bathroom adaptation.
- £4795.00 Installation of a downstairs wet room for husband who had become very poorly with mobility issues.
- £979.00 Funding for wheelchair adaptations to a retired police officer.
- £1000 Assistance for a police widow with the installation of a stair lift.
The fund relies on monthly contributions from serving Police Officers and Police Staff and we will soon be extending that to Retired Officers as well.
The fund needs its members' contributions to provide the ongoing financial support.
Later this year we will have a website where anyone can donate and we are also looking at options for regular donations for retired officers direct from your pension.
In the meanwhile if you are able to make a donation to the Welfare Fund you can send a cheque payable to HAMPSHIRE CONSTABULARY WELFARE FUND to:
The Treasurer,
Hampshire Police Federation,
1490 Parkway,
Whiteley,
PO15 7AF
Or if you wish to pay another way or ask us any questions please contact the Welfare Fund office at WELMAIL@hampshire.police.uk
Ill Health and other Benefits:
Dave Machon is a retired police officer (Ex DC) and a member of our branch of Narpo. During the last two years he has worked two days a week for the charity AGE UK Portsmouth as a Veterans Information Co-ordinator. In this role he supports retired members of the armed forces and their families and in particular, assists them with claims for benefits to which they may be entitled but of which they may be unaware. He finds this very rewarding and would like to offer his services to Narpo members.
Whilst retired police officers are generally in a better position than retired military personnel, we all have families and elderly relatives in particular, who may benefit from his advice and guidance.
Some benefits are 'means tested' and this can be carried out online in 10 minutes although a current bank statement is required. The below internet link may be helpful in this regard.
Age UK Benefits Calculator
Other benefits, such as the Attendance Allowance which is for ill health, is NOT means tested and this is currently payable at two weekly rates i.e. high at £89.15 and low at £59.70. A claim form can be accessed from the below internet link.
Attendance Allowance Claim Form
Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA's):
Another area in which Dave can give assistance is with the acquisition 'Powers of Attorney' which is increasingly relevant to those in our age group. It is particularly significant between elderly couples when Alzheimer's or Dementia is becoming so prevalent and the advice is not to leave it too late.
It is not necessary to use a solicitor and there is a GOV.UK website where you can do it yourself for a lot less cost. See also Power of Attorney.
The website has all the information needed to set up LPA and there are two types:
- Health and welfare
- Property and financial affairs
You can choose to make one type or both.
Health and welfare lasting power of attorney
This LPA gives an attorney the power to make decisions about things like:
- A person's daily routine, for example washing, dressing, eating
- Medical care
- Moving into a care home
- Life-sustaining treatment
It can only be used when someone is unable to make their own decisions.
Property and financial affairs lasting power of attorney
This LPA Is used to give an attorney the power to make decisions about money and property for a person, for example:
- Managing a bank or building society account
- Paying bills
- Collecting benefits or a pension
- Selling a home
It can be used as soon as it's registered, with the permission of the person concerned.
Most people only set up Property and Financial Affairs LPA but the Health and Welfare LPA is equally important.
More information and fact sheets can be accessed through the below link
Copperbox Floral Designs
Following my retirement last year I have gone back to my original career, working from home as COPPERBOX FLORAL DESIGN.
Whilst I can provide flowers to suit any occasion, I am frequently asked and very proud to make bespoke Police tributes such as collar numbers, coffin sprays and wreaths using the thin blue line theme including a casket sash (an alternative to the force drape) by family, Federation and the Chiefs office.
I can be contacted via Facebook and Instagram under Copperbox Floral Design if you feel my ideas would provide a fitting 'Police' tribute as recognition of service for the bereaved family to consider.
Regards Jackie ( ex PC 709 WILD )
AGE UK (PORTSMOUTH)
Age UK Portsmouth provides services for local elderly people for things such as foot care, gardening, hairdressing, help at home and many others. If you feel that they may be relevant to you please go to the below link for full details.
FRAUD via telephone and email
I have received the following from George Pothecary - interesting and relevant regarding reports about attempts to defraud people by means of telephone calls or e mails. The below has originated from someone working in this area of criminality:
"I am working in an advisory role with some companies seeking to prevent and detect fraud. I am sure colleagues are aware that it is no longer possible to report frauds to local Police Forces. Unless there is a "crime in action" frauds and cyber-crime can only be reported to the "National Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting Centre", known as "Action Fraud". From there the reports go to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, NFIB, where they are analysed and matched with related crimes. Reports thought to be worth investigating are passed to the appropriate Police Force or Agency. Sadly because of competing priorities most Forces place a low priority on investigating even detectable frauds.
In order to take some proactive action companies and individuals I have worked with have adopted a tactic I outline below. Having deceived the victim, the fraudster seeks to persuade the victim to transfer funds to a bank account they control. This might be an account they have opened or a "mule" account. The latter are the genuine accounts of typically students who are paid a fee for the use of their account by the fraudster.
Having realised a fraud is being attempted, it may be possible to play along and obtain the details of the account the fraudster wants to receive the funds. Of course, no funds should be paid over. The details of the fraudster's nominated account can then be included on the report to Action Fraud.
When the report gets to the NFIB they can serve notice on the bank and not only close the account but obtain details of payments into and out of the account as well as stopping it being used for further fraud purposes. I have worked on frauds where this process has been used with success.
You might be surprised at how easy it seems for fraudsters to open bank accounts with false details. The Financial Conduct Authority are currently investigating two major banks for apparently failing to properly apply "know Your Customer" ("KYC") procedures to accounts opened for fraud purposes. I hope this information will be of interest and help.
The telephone number of Action Fraud is 03001232040. Access to the online report form is via the web site actionfraud.police.uk
Welbeing
In partnership with Police Mutual, NARPO are pleased to be able to announce the launch of the Police Mutual Care Line providinNarpo HQs have produced a series of articles under the 'Wellbeing' headings and they are likely to be of help to our members when encountering a variety of social issues, including bereavements. They can be found through the following links.
Wellbeing Factsheets and Support when Someone Dies
Police Mutual Care Line
In partnership with Police Mutual, NARPO are pleased to be able to announce the launch of the Police Mutual Care Line providing support for the police family, serving and retired, in times of need.
The service will be provided by Red Arc, a nurse led advice service, who are at the end of the telephone to help with a range of concerns, including
coping with bereavement, serious physical or mental health problems, disabilities, trauma, post-hospital care or dealing with long term elderly matters.
All nurses are specially trained advisers with a great deal of knowledge who treat all callers with compassion, sensitivity and in confidence.
Please see the leaflet for more information.
Police Mutual Wellbeing Factsheets
Police Mutual have produced three new wellbeing factsheets. These factsheets can be viewed by clicking on the links below:
PM Staying Mentally Well Factsheet
SJM Wills Limited
Sue Mason is a former member of Police Staff, joining in 1995 and leaving in Dec 2016. She has a Law Degree and has been a member of the Institute of Professional Willwriters for the last 13 years. She set up her own company (SJM Wills & Associated Services) in 2005.
Sue was the Chemical Treatment Manager at Netley in Scientific Services for 14 years but was then offered a job in Dubai writing Wills for the ex-pat community. When she came back after a couple of months, she then worked for ACPO giving advice to all the other forces on how to deal with their Freedom of Information requests, which she did for a further 7 years.
Pensions Presentation
Alan Lees, NARPO Deputy CEO has prepared a simple guidance presentation on the different types of pensions available to members.
To view the presentation, please Click Here
Welcome to The Police Rehabilitation Centre, Flint House
Rehabilitation and convalescent centre for serving and retired police officers. Includes facilities, services and information about a refurbishment project.
“Our mission is to provide the highest standards of individually planned, intensive, rehabilitation services for sick and injured, serving and retired police officers”
As a retired officer access is available to use the rehabilitation centre at Goring on Thames. Charges may apply: full details are in above link.
Legal Advice
For Free Advice Services or Legal Advice for NARPO members, Click Here.
These organisations all offer NARPO members legal services tailored to your specific needs.
Marriage tax allowance: what are the rules?
Get up to £662:
Marriage tax allowance: how to apply
Let's talk about mental health awareness
- for a link to a video on the importance of welbeing in the police force, click here
Each year we help hundreds of officers and their families who have been injured or killed while on duty. If you've been supported by the Trust and would like to share your story, please email office@pdtrust.org or call 020 8941 6907.
'Without the Trust, I wouldn't be here today'
Peter Burnsall
"When you loved being a police officer like I did, being forced to leave the job is like having your legs chopped from underneath you. In 1989 I was retired because of ill health and at 41 it felt like I was thrown on the scrap heap."