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HISTORY OF THE FUND
The Northern Ireland Police Fund (“the Fund”) was set up in late 2001 as a government response to the Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland, Patten Recommendation 87, as reviewed by John Steele.
Its remit is to provide support to those police officers injured as a result of terrorist violence, and their families, and the widows, children and parents of officers killed in terrorist incidents. The Fund has an annual budget of £1.8m per year for the provision of these services.
The Fund is a private company limited by guarantee, with the Chief Executive as Accounting Officer for the funds it receives from central government. The Fund is currently 100% funded by government.
The inaugural meeting of the Board of Directors of the Fund was held on 30 November 2001.
The Board of Directors meet monthly.
The Northern Ireland Police Fund has a mission statement in respect of its work.
Its intent is
“Alleviating suffering resulting from terrorist attacks on police families by providing continuing support for them and their families”.
It will achieve this by providing a comprehensive, quality service to its clients. It will be proactive in seeking to identify all its potential clients and to meet their needs through a range of generous schemes designed to meet those needs now and in the future. The Fund, being mindful of the problems and traumas faced by our clients, will deliver a caring and considerate service, and seek at all times to minimise any unwarranted intrusion into the lives of our clients consistent with meeting the requirements of our schemes.
The staffing structure within the Fund is as follows:-
Chief Executive
Head of Assessment
Assessment Officers
Administrative Officer
Spend each year
Funding provided to the Northern Ireland Police Fund since its inception is set out below. These figures do not include those monies allocated to the Northern Ireland Police Fund but issued directly to pre 82 widows.
|
Financial Year |
Funding used/awarded |
|
2002/03 |
£1.86m (included some set up costs) |
|
2003/04 |
£1.48m |
|
2004/05 |
£1.23m |
|
2005/06 |
£1.83m (plus an exceptional carry forward of a further £250 K agreed by NIO) giving £2.08m total |
|
2006/07 |
£1.8m |
|
2007/08 |
£1.8m |
|
2008/09 |
£1.849m |
|
2009/10 |
£1.799m |
|
2010/11 |
£1.85m |
|
2011/12 |
£1.71m | |
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Grants in 2010/11
In 2010/11 the following grants were made to individual clients of the Fund:-
Number Cost
|
Bathroom Adaptation |
4 |
17159.6 |
|
Breaks for Carers |
94 |
30225 |
|
Chronic Pain |
34 |
6170 |
|
Computer |
1 |
437.21 |
|
Dental Treatment |
1 |
4800 |
|
Disability Equipment |
19 |
76113.84 |
|
Education & Training |
107 |
184800 |
|
Funeral Expenses |
1 |
3369.26 |
|
Garden Maintenance |
1 |
5274 |
|
Heating |
|
94 |
168505.9 |
|
House Structural Maintenance |
17 |
85453.01 |
|
Household Appliances |
45 |
101982.3 |
|
Internal Painting/Decorating |
6 |
14804.13 |
|
New/Replacement Furniture |
23 |
62407.94 |
|
Regular Payments |
39 |
55208.04 |
|
Replacement Doors/Windows |
2 |
7375 |
|
Tarmac |
|
1 |
1625 |
|
Vehicle Purchase |
7 |
32677.01 |
|
Wheelchair |
1 |
2645 |
Steele review
In 2004 Government undertook a review of the Fund. This was completed by John Steele The report is available for download from this page. All of the recommendations of the report were accepted by Government and implemented where possible.
Thompson Review
A further review was carried out in late 2009 which reaffirmed the need for the Fund to continue and to remain independent
Handbook
The Northern Ireland Police Fund used the conference held in November 2005 to launch a handbook of organisations involved in care in the police family. It is intended that this handbook will be provided to officers as they leave the police service and provide a single directory of organisations and the services they provide.
The handbook is available as a download on this page.
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