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| Unmarried mother Siobhan McLaughlin wins Supreme Court benefit case | Unmarried mother Siobhan McLaughlin wins Supreme Court benefit case |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| An unmarried mother has won a landmark UK Supreme Court case which could allow her to claim a Widowed Parent's Allowance (WPA). | An unmarried mother has won a landmark UK Supreme Court case which could allow her to claim a Widowed Parent's Allowance (WPA). |
| Mother of four, Siobhan McLaughlin from County Antrim, lived with her partner for 23 years but never married. | Mother of four, Siobhan McLaughlin from County Antrim, lived with her partner for 23 years but never married. |
| After her partner's death, she was denied money that her children would have been otherwise entitled to. | After her partner's death, she was denied money that her children would have been otherwise entitled to. |
| Thursday's ruling could pave the way for people across the UK to apply for similar payments. | Thursday's ruling could pave the way for people across the UK to apply for similar payments. |
| The Supreme Court Justices found that the legislation which governs the WPA was incompatible with human rights law, as it "precludes any entitlement to WPA by a surviving unmarried partner". | The Supreme Court Justices found that the legislation which governs the WPA was incompatible with human rights law, as it "precludes any entitlement to WPA by a surviving unmarried partner". |
| No law change | |
| A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said it would consider the court's ruling carefully. | A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said it would consider the court's ruling carefully. |
| The Supreme Court cannot change the law but it puts pressure on the UK's legislatures to change the law and ensure that it is human rights compliant. | The Supreme Court cannot change the law but it puts pressure on the UK's legislatures to change the law and ensure that it is human rights compliant. |
| Ms McLaughlin lived with her partner John Adams, who died in 2014, and they had four children together. | Ms McLaughlin lived with her partner John Adams, who died in 2014, and they had four children together. |
| She is now the sole provider for her family and works two jobs as a special needs classroom assistant and cleaner. | She is now the sole provider for her family and works two jobs as a special needs classroom assistant and cleaner. |
| Ms McLaughlin said the money provided by the WPA would have been useful to her family. | Ms McLaughlin said the money provided by the WPA would have been useful to her family. |
| Reacting to the news on Thursday, Ms McLaughlin described the judgment as "just surreal". | Reacting to the news on Thursday, Ms McLaughlin described the judgment as "just surreal". |
| "It is just fantastic for all those children that have been recognised now," she said. | "It is just fantastic for all those children that have been recognised now," she said. |
| "It wasn't ever about me, it was always to do with the parent's allowance part of it." | "It wasn't ever about me, it was always to do with the parent's allowance part of it." |
| When asked what it meant for people "in her position", Ms McLaughlin replied: "Hopefully they will recognise that they are just as worthy as children born into wedlock." | When asked what it meant for people "in her position", Ms McLaughlin replied: "Hopefully they will recognise that they are just as worthy as children born into wedlock." |
| Laura Banks, Ms McLaughlin's solicitor, told the BBC that the decision will benefit "thousands of children throughout the UK". | Laura Banks, Ms McLaughlin's solicitor, told the BBC that the decision will benefit "thousands of children throughout the UK". |
| "What Siobhan has said from day one is that it's unfair and it's wrong that her children should be treated any different than children whose parents are married," Ms Banks said. | "What Siobhan has said from day one is that it's unfair and it's wrong that her children should be treated any different than children whose parents are married," Ms Banks said. |
| "The Supreme Court have upheld that - it has actually said that not only is it unfair but it's unlawful." | "The Supreme Court have upheld that - it has actually said that not only is it unfair but it's unlawful." |
| She said the government will now be asked to act quickly "so as many people can benefit from this as possible". | She said the government will now be asked to act quickly "so as many people can benefit from this as possible". |
| Double blow | |
| The Child Bereavement Network estimated that every year, more than 2,000 families face the "double hit of one parent dying, and the other parent realising that they and the children aren't eligible for bereavement benefits". | The Child Bereavement Network estimated that every year, more than 2,000 families face the "double hit of one parent dying, and the other parent realising that they and the children aren't eligible for bereavement benefits". |
| Alison Penny, director of the Childhood Bereavement Network, said the organisation was "delighted" with the judgement. | Alison Penny, director of the Childhood Bereavement Network, said the organisation was "delighted" with the judgement. |
| "We pay tribute to Siobhan for having the courage to bring this test case and improve the situation for thousands of grieving children and their surviving parents", Ms Penny said, in a joint statement issued by the Network, the Child Poverty Action Group and the National Children's Bureau. | "We pay tribute to Siobhan for having the courage to bring this test case and improve the situation for thousands of grieving children and their surviving parents", Ms Penny said, in a joint statement issued by the Network, the Child Poverty Action Group and the National Children's Bureau. |
| "While she brought her case in Northern Ireland, it has implications for the rest of the UK where the wording of the eligibility criteria is the same." | "While she brought her case in Northern Ireland, it has implications for the rest of the UK where the wording of the eligibility criteria is the same." |
| Analysis: Court decision has significant implications | Analysis: Court decision has significant implications |
| BBC News Legal Correspondent, Clive Coleman | BBC News Legal Correspondent, Clive Coleman |
| The WPA can only be claimed by a surviving partner if that partner was either married to, or in a civil partnership with the deceased. | The WPA can only be claimed by a surviving partner if that partner was either married to, or in a civil partnership with the deceased. |
| The question at the heart of this case was whether that restriction unjustifiably discriminates against the surviving partner and/or their children, and breaches their human rights. | The question at the heart of this case was whether that restriction unjustifiably discriminates against the surviving partner and/or their children, and breaches their human rights. |
| The Supreme Court has decided that it does, and that has significant implications. There are some 3.3 million co-habiting couples in the UK. Around 1.2 million of them have children. | The Supreme Court has decided that it does, and that has significant implications. There are some 3.3 million co-habiting couples in the UK. Around 1.2 million of them have children. |
| The purpose of the WPA is to help the children. | The purpose of the WPA is to help the children. |
| Thursday's ruling will benefit those families where one co-habiting parent has died and the WPA has been refused, or where a parent dies in future and the surviving partner makes a claim. | Thursday's ruling will benefit those families where one co-habiting parent has died and the WPA has been refused, or where a parent dies in future and the surviving partner makes a claim. |
| The Supreme Court cannot change the law but by saying that it is incompatible with the Human Rights Act, it is putting pressure on the UK's legislatures to change the law and ensure that it is human rights compliant. | The Supreme Court cannot change the law but by saying that it is incompatible with the Human Rights Act, it is putting pressure on the UK's legislatures to change the law and ensure that it is human rights compliant. |
| After Mr Adams' death, the County Antrim woman challenged the rule that parents must have married to be entitled to a widowed parent's allowance. | After Mr Adams' death, the County Antrim woman challenged the rule that parents must have married to be entitled to a widowed parent's allowance. |
| First time ever | First time ever |
| Ms McLaughlin, from Armoy, won the original case but it was overturned by the Court of Appeal. | Ms McLaughlin, from Armoy, won the original case but it was overturned by the Court of Appeal. |
| In April 2018 the Supreme Court sat in Northern Ireland for the first time ever. | In April 2018 the Supreme Court sat in Northern Ireland for the first time ever. |
| Ms McLaughlin's case was the first case heard by the court in Northern Ireland. | Ms McLaughlin's case was the first case heard by the court in Northern Ireland. |
| A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: "We will consider the court's ruling carefully. Widowed parent's allowance was a contributory benefit and it has always been the case that inheritable benefits derived from another person's contributions should be based on the concept of legal marriage or civil partnership. | A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: "We will consider the court's ruling carefully. Widowed parent's allowance was a contributory benefit and it has always been the case that inheritable benefits derived from another person's contributions should be based on the concept of legal marriage or civil partnership. |
| "This ruling doesn't change the current eligibility rules for receiving bereavement benefits, which are paid only to people who are married or in a civil partnership." | "This ruling doesn't change the current eligibility rules for receiving bereavement benefits, which are paid only to people who are married or in a civil partnership." |
| Have you been denied access to Widowed Parent's Allowance after the death of your partner because you were unmarried? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Have you been denied access to Widowed Parent's Allowance after the death of your partner because you were unmarried? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |