Steps are underway to eliminate the public pension that Wayne Couzens, the convicted murderer of Sarah Everard, is entitled to receive. Couzens, a former police officer, is set to receive a pension despite his heinous crimes of abducting, raping, and killing Sarah Everard in March 2021. His sentence of a whole-life order was issued in September 2021.
While prisoners typically cannot claim a state pension, there is no automatic restriction on other pension benefits. The news that Couzens could potentially still receive thousands of pounds annually due to his previous employment with the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) has sparked outrage, prompting government officials to consider legislation to strip him of this pension.
The government has expressed strong determination to revoke Couzens’ CNC pension and is actively working toward this goal, which may involve a complex legal process. Couzens had joined the CNC in 2011 before transferring to the Metropolitan Police in 2018, where he served as an armed officer. His CNC pension is estimated to be valued at around £7,000 per year.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan successfully intervened in 2023 to block any pension payments that Couzens could have received from his time at the Metropolitan Police. However, the CNC, falling under the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), lacks the authority to forfeit pensions directly. Nevertheless, the force has recommended to the UK Atomic Energy Authority, its pension governing body, to forfeit any entitlements related to Couzens’ service.
Sadiq Khan emphasized the public’s disapproval of Couzens benefiting from taxpayer-funded pensions and insisted on every possible measure to prevent him from receiving his CNC pension. Pension forfeitures entail the state retaining its contributions while returning the individual’s own contributions, subject to specific conditions related to grave offences or loss of public trust.
According to policing practice expert Bethan Shellard-Dedman, Couzens’ pension would be suspended during his imprisonment, but his family might be eligible for a portion upon his death. The process of forfeiture involves returning the officer’s contributions and retaining the police force’s share, with potential variations in the exact amounts based on individual circumstances.
