PFEW is taking the threatened claims very seriously. The claims threatened against PFEW have the potential to cause huge damage to the organisation, financially and otherwise, and could significantly impact our members.

We intend to robustly defend ourselves as we do not believe the claim has merit. However, there is a risk that PFEW will not be able to exist in its current form if the claims which are being threatened are ultimately successful.

Even to finance the costs of the defence of the threatened litigation, membership fees may need to rise and certain services may need to be curtailed. We do not consider this to be in the interests of the membership as a whole and we urge members to consider carefully the consequences to PFEW and themselves of this litigation.

As members will no doubt be aware, the vast majority of our funding is through the payment of member subscriptions. Any compensation that is awarded will be paid out of our funds, including those member subscriptions.

This will have two potential consequences:

1. Member subscriptions will probably need to increase; and
2. The vital services that we provide to our members, such as legal and claims support, on which we spend the largest majority of funds, could be put at risk.