We were married for 49 years but together for 54 when I lost my beloved husband Kenny. Although he had suffered a leg amputation due to ill health some years earlier, it had never dampened his spirits, he always cared for me and our 5 children taking responsibility for everything. We were his priority and he had always worked to support us financially. He worked as a train driver which he loved he worked for 32 years in Blackpool North. Everyone who met him said the same, what a character he was and not a bad word was ever spoken about him. We miss him so much.
I always remember one day Kenny telling me about his private pension. Over a cup of tea he had told me to turn the TV off because he wanted to talk to me and discuss his pension. He said it wasn’t much but he wanted to me to promise if anything happened to him that I would claim it.
When Kenny did finally pass away I was naturally experiencing terrible grief. Probably the worst thing was the shock and the fact that we couldn’t be with him as it was during the pandemic. It was just the worst time. Kenny had always dealt with everything at the house and I just couldn’t cope.
Some weeks after his death I wanted to stay true to my husband and therefore contacted the pension provider that he’d told me about that day over a cup of tea. I rang them and they sent me the forms which I completed fully and sent them back. This happened 4 times because each time I rang them they said they hadn’t received anything. In the end I told them that since they obviously needed the pension more than me that they should keep it! I rarely lose my temper but I had just had enough. I really don’t understand and especially when families are going through such terrible times, why companies make it so hard to access what is rightfully theirs. It’s not even a huge amount of money but to me it’s what Kenny had paid in and I wanted to do right by my late husband.
In the end it all got sorted but I cannot help feel that when families are grieving not enough is done to support them with things like this. Why do organisations put barriers or red tape in the way or make things so difficult, like things are not difficult enough. No empathy or care offered and the whole experience just made me feel even more sad and lonely.