Westminster

Draft Fatal Accidents Act 1976 (Remedial) Order 2020

The Draft Fatal Accidents Act 1976 (Remedial) Order 2020 will extend the eligibility of bereavement damages in England and Wales to couples who have lived together for at least two years. We have long campaigned for reform of bereavement damages, and this remedial order is welcome.

The Government has, however, failed to take this opportunity to address the wider unfairness of statutory bereavement damages in England and Wales. This failure is unacceptable. The Government's refusal even to consider further reform is a snub to bereaved families and flies in the face of consistent lobbying for modernisation of the law, and a clear recommendation from the Joint Committee on Human Rights for a consultation on reform because the law is "discriminatory against certain close family members".

APIL's parliamentary briefing on the remedial order can be read here. 

Joint Committee on Human Rights

In March 2020 the Joint Committee on Human Rights published a call for evidence as part of its scrutiny of the draft Fatal Accidents Act 1976 (Remedial) Order 2020. The prupose of the order is to extend the eligibility of bereavement damages in England and Wales to some cohabiting couples. 

APIL's evidence can be read here. 

The joint committee's report can be read here.

The latest call for evidence follows the joint committee's previous inquiry in 2019 on the draft Remedial Order.

APIL's evidence to that inquiry can be read here.

The joint committee's report can be read here.

The Government's response can be read here.