6.  The facts of each case, as submitted by the parties, may be summarised as follows. 7.  Mr Runkee was born in 1938 and lives in Hull. 8.  He married in 1964. He and his wife had three children, born in 1965, 1966 and 1974. On 15 March 1998 his wife died. She had worked full time for eight years until becoming pregnant and had made full social security contributions. 9.  The applicant notified the Benefits Agency of his wife's death and of his intention to claim “widowers' benefits” on 31 March 1998. By a letter dated 16 April 1998, the Benefits Agency informed the applicant that because he was not a woman he was not entitled to widow's benefits. The applicant lodged a statutory appeal against this decision on 1 May 1998, but abandoned it when advised that the appeal was bound to fail. 10.  At the time of his application to the Court, Mr Runkee was in receipt of means-tested statutory benefits, including Income Support and Housing and Council Tax Benefits. Were he a woman, his entitlement to Widow's Pension would have been offset against these benefits, to the extent that, in his present circumstances, he would have received no additional money in respect of Widow's Pension. 11.  Mr White is a United Kingdom national, born in 1942 and living in Warrington. 12.  He married in 1960. He and his wife had two children, one of whom was adopted and born in 1955, the other of whom was born in 1968. 13.  On 8 March 1999 his wife died. She had worked until the birth of her son in 1968 and had made reduced social security contributions. 14.  The applicant notified the Benefits Agency of his wife's death and of his intention to claim “widowers' benefits” on 10 March 1999. On 21 June and 8 September 1999, Angela Eagle, a Minister from the Department of Social Security, wrote to the applicant's Member of Parliament confirming that as a man he was not entitled to claim widows' benefits.