The massive payment - which today triggered outrage from victims' groups - has been approved just months after the former Hyde GP was found hanged in jail. And it dwarfs the average of only '11,460 paid out to families of his victims in criminal injuries compensation.
A clause in Shipman's pension meant that because he did not reach the age of 60, his wife Primrose would be entitled to the index-linked settlement. She has been paid a lump sum of '100,000 and will now receive monthly payments of just over '1,000.
Pension experts predict that Primrose could receive more than '500,000 before the year 2030, depending on inflation.
Some victims' families, meanwhile, are still waiting for a settlement, more than four years after Shipman was convicted of murdering 15 of his elderly patients. He is thought to have killed another 200 patients.
Director of the Victims of Crime Trust, Norman Brennan, said: "It is absolutely staggering that one of the most prolific murderers in history has left his wife better off than any one of his victims' families.
"Who says crime doesn't pay?"
The mother-of-four, whose daughter lives in Manchester, moved to Yorkshire when Shipman was jailed. He was found hanged in his cell at Wakefield jail in January.
A spokesman for the Department of Health said ministers had directed that Shipman's pension should be forfeited, but because he died, his wife was able to benefit.
Chris Bird, whose mother Violet, 60, was killed by Shipman in 1993, said he regarded the pension payment as "disgraceful".
The GP was jailed for life in 2000 after being found guilty of 15 counts of murder. An inquiry found he killed 215 patients and is "highly likely" to have murdered another 45.
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It was never alleged that Primrose Shipman was in any way involved in the crimes that Harold Shipman committed.
This is pure vindictiveness, the same sort of vindictiveness that has destroyed the fund raising efforts on behalf of Alder Hey Childrens Hospital with untold consequences for future sick children.
It is not yet a crime to marry someone destined to become a criminal. Primrose Shipman is an unsung victim of Harold Shipman.
Let he who is without sin .....
'who says crime doesn't pay?' - well as I recall his wife didn't kill anyone so why should her pension (and it is her pension) be stopped? So far as I understnad she is an innocent party in this.
tHE MONEY SHOULD BE PAID TO THE VICTIMS FAMILIES IT IS A DISGRACE
Shipmans wife did not murder anyone and should not be held accountable. This is a non issue
Some people are so spiteful. I agree the victims families are being paid a pittance but Primrose Shipman wasn't there while "Dr" Shipman was killing people. Why should SHE have to pay for her husband's crimes ?
Whilst I synpathise with the victims families we must remember on thing. Mrs Shipman did not commit the murders nor, I believe was she implicated. I think the poor woman should be left alone.
I agree - she didn't know about or take part in the murders (as far as I am aware) so why should her pension be taken away? I'm sure she doesn't feel 100% comfortable about it anyway. And if the authorities did take it away, what then...? Allow her to scrape by with no other income now that her husband is dead...? It would hardly be the civilsed thing to do would it.
why must the MEN persist with this sloppy, alarmist, Sun-reader journalism?
Please try to inform rather than evaluate in the headline at least. Tell us the facts then leave it to the reader to decide whether it's an outrage or not.
My goodness sensible people, It's not Primrose's fault he murdered all those people. Why be vindictive towards her? How spiteful. Don't you think this woman has gone through enough, and their children? She had to find out her loving husband was a murderer and then he kills himself. How do you think she feels eh?? She stood by him throught the court case and everything, she obviosuly still loved him. Afterall he was still the loving family man she married to her. I don't suppose she will ever get over this. It will be a life sentence for her to. Show some compassion.
I dont agree with the bleeding hearts opinions on her being the final victim and why should she have to scrape by.
He murdered people pure and simple, whether or not she had anything to do with it she should NOT benefit because of a loophole in his pension. If he hanged himself surely his pension, which passed onto his spouse should be void. Like in cases where terminally ill people cannot have their spouses benefit from their suicides. I know I havent put it too politely but I am sure you get my drift. That pension should be null and void, she SHOULD have to scrape by on what my parents and millions of others have to scrape by on, a state pension, soon to be made extinct by this greeeeeeeeedy government. Think of the victims, and their spouses before painting a poor picture of Mrs Shipman, I do feel sorry for her but she comes at the bottom of my sympathy list in all what her EVIL husband has done.