MANY North Yorkshire parents whose partners have died say they are being punished by a benefits system which leaves them worse off.

The widowed parents allowance is designed to ease the financial worries of bereaved partners left to bring up children.

But in the case of families on income support, the benefit has plunged many into the poverty trap.

Last week, the Evening Press reported how York man Frank Healy was caught in this dilemma.

After spending years calling for fathers to receive widowed parents allowance, he discovered the new income actually made him worse off.

The allowance put his income over a Government benefit threshold and left him £25 worse off after his council tax and housing benefits were slashed. He also lost free school meals for his two children, Scott and Stuart.

The Evening Press has since been contacted by other bereaved parents claiming to have fallen foul of the same flaw in the benefit system.

One widow, who did not wish to be named, said: "I have been punished financially because my husband died."

In each case, taking widowed parents' allowance has resulted in other benefits being cut by council chiefs. And anyone eligible for the allowance is forced to take it - under Government rules.

Mr Healy, of Dringhouses, added: "I can empathise with anyone in the same situation or possibly worse. It's a loophole which has been missed. It's an issue which needs highlighting for the sake of our children. I don't want anything for free but neither do I want my kids to suffer.

"We have a situation where many bereaved parents across the country could be suffering."

John Taylor, York and District Organiser of equal rights group Parity, said his group wished Mr Healy well in his efforts.

"We won the right to equal benefits for widowed fathers and widowed mothers in 1998 after submitting an action to the European Court of Human Rights," he added.

"But I must stress, Parity's objective in winning equality for widowers was not to have them made financially worse off, like Frank has been."

Christabel Hilliard, welfare advisor at York bereavement counsellors Cruse, added: "This is a problem within the system and we have had a lot of calls about this.

"A solution would be to give people the option of choosing between income support and widowed parents allowance."

A City of York council spokesman said: "We look at individual cases but have to apply the rules. We don't make them.

"We actively encourage people to claim the benefits they are entitled to and advise them to talk to our advice team on (01904) 613131."

Updated: 11:20 Tuesday, September 18, 2001