9.  The applicant was born in 1950 and lives in Liverpool. 10.  The applicant is a widower. His wife, whom he had married in 1977, died on 1 February 1997. They had two children, born in 1983 and 1989. Prior to her death the applicant’s wife had worked as a schoolteacher for approximately twenty one years and paid full social security contributions. 11.  On 7 February 2000 the applicant applied to the Benefits Agency for the payment of social security benefits. He applied for benefits equivalent to those which a widow, whose husband had died in similar circumstances to those of his wife, would have been entitled, namely a Widowed Mother’s Allowance, payable under the Social Security and Benefits Act 1992. He was informed by the Benefits Agency on 2 March 2000 that the benefit was not payable to him because it was available only to widows. 12.  The applicant appealed against this latter decision to a social security appeal tribunal, which dismissed his appeal on 12 May 2000. 13.  The applicant worked as a schoolteacher, except for a period between September 2000 and March 2001 when he was in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance, a means tested benefit. He also received Child Benefit and Lone Parent Benefit. From the day after that on which the claim for benefits was made, that is to say from 8 February 2000, a widow in a similar situation would have received Widowed Mother’s Allowance, payable regardless of income and savings. A widow would also have received a Christmas bonus of 10 pounds sterling (GBP) for the year 2000. Since 10 April 2001, the applicant has been in receipt of Widowed Parent’s Allowance.