Rule 21

Orphan Benefit

Administration
1.    There shall be a fund to be known as the Orphan Fund (the Fund) which shall be controlled and administered by the National Executive Committee in accordance with the provisions of this Rule.

Members of Fund
The Fund shall be used exclusively for the benefit of the children of members as defined in Clauses 5, 6 and 7 of this Rule. A member of the General Fund shall also be deemed to be a member of the Orphan Fund.

Funding
2. The Fund shall be supported by:

(a) a sum equivalent to eight pence per week per member transferred annually from the General Fund;

(b) investment income, donations or any fund-raising activities authorised by the National Executive Committee;

(c)  collections undertaken by Union Branches and members in accordance with such conditions as the National Executive Committee may decide upon.

Money Remitted
3. Money obtained for the Fund shall be immediately remitted to the Union's Bank, and be deposited in the name of the Orphan Fund or invested in similar securities to those which the Rules prescribe for the other monies of the Union.

Special Funds
4.    The National Executive Committee and the Union’s Branches may, at their discretion, establish a special fund in order to supplement allowances paid from the Fund.

Beneficiaries
5. The beneficiaries of the Fund shall be any child of a member when the member or the member’s spouse dies before the member has qualified to receive a retirement benefit as provided by Rule 18 or who had already qualified to receive Retirement Benefit and had not been subsequently employed prior to death.

Definition of a Child
6. For the purposes of this Rule “child” means a member’s own child, step-child or an adopted child, provided always that such a child is under the age of sixteen or, if receiving full-time education, under the age of twenty-two.

7.    Should a child have mental or physical disabilities and be unable to take up employment or to benefit from normal education the National Executive Committee may, at its discretion, authorise the payment of benefit until the child reaches the age of eighteen.

Benefit Payable
8.    The sum of £12.00 per week shall be paid for each orphan up to sixteen years of age, and the sum of £12.75 per week shall be paid for each orphan over sixteen years of age, but under twenty-two years of age and continuing in full-time education or training at an establishment accepted by the National Executive Committee.
Bereft of Both Parents
Should any Orphans under sixteen years of age become bereft of both parents and have no relatives to care for them, the enhanced benefit shall be paid up to 16 years of age.

Application
9. Application for this benefit must be made on a form approved for this purpose, through the Branch of which the child’s mother or father was last a member. Certificates of marriage and of registration of birth (and, in the case of an adopted child, satisfactory proof of adoption by the member) must accompany each application.

Payment Quarterly
10. Payment in respect of each qualifying child shall be made quarterly via the Union’s bank system direct to the recipient, or through the Branch to which the deceased parent or guardian was a member, or through the Branch nearest to where the child resides always providing that it be used for the child’s exclusive benefit.

Cessation of Benefit
11. The benefit shall cease to be paid when a child, who otherwise qualifies for benefit in accordance with this Rule, is legally adopted or when the surviving parent re-marries. Should the surviving parent’s partner then die, a child, as defined, shall again become eligible for benefit from the Fund.

Benefit not Devoted to Child
12.    Should the National Executive Committee have reason to believe that the benefits paid from this Fund are not devoted exclusively for the benefit of the child, or that the child is suffering wilful neglect, it shall have power to withdraw payment and to make such arrangements as seen appropriate in order that the child’s entitlement to financial assistance from the Fund is not jeopardised.

Records
13. The General Secretary shall record the name and occupation of the child’s deceased parent, date and cause of death, the name, age and sex of each qualifying child. The General Secretary shall cause to be recorded in an Annual Report, which shall also include a statement of accounts, the names of contributors of £5.00 or more to the Fund. Copies of the Report shall be sent to Branch Secretaries in good time before each Annual General Meeting.

Appeal
14.    A Branch, dissatisfied with any decision of the National Executive Committee in respect of the application of this Rule, shall have the right of appeal to the Annual General Meeting.