Survivor benefits

Lump sum death grant

If you die in service there is usually a one off lump sum death grant payable to your next of kin. This is calculated as 3 times your annual pensionable pay. However this may not be the case where a member has multiple pensions within the LGPS.

You can nominate anyone to receive these funds by submitting an ‘Expression of Wish – Nomination Form’ to the pension fund (see 'Resources' section).

Although we have final say on whom to pay the funds to, we do usually pay the funds to the people that you ask us to.

Survivor's pension

When you die, we may be able to pay a pension to your husband/wife or your civil partner or your cohabiting partner and your dependent children.

If you would like benefits to be paid to a cohabiting partner they will need to meet certain criteria, as follows:

You and your co-habiting partner were free to marry each other or to enter into a civil partnership, and
You and your co-habiting partner have been living together as if you were spouses, or civil partners, and
neither you nor your co-habiting partner have been living with someone else as if you were spouses or civil partners, and
either your co-habiting partner is financially dependent on you or you are financially interdependent on each other.

All of the above must be met for a continuous period of at least 2 years prior to your death.

Children's pensions are payable to any eligible dependent children you may have when you die or born up to one year after.

Please contact us if you want to know more.

Calculating the amount of survivor's pension

For your husband or wife, civil partner or cohabiting partner:

1/160th of your pensionable pay multiplied by the total membership built up at your date of leaving.

Death in service also includes an enhancement up to the member’s NPA.

Note

Only your membership from 6 April 1988 is used for cohabiting partners, although you do have the option to pay additional survivor benefit contributions (ASBCs) to extend this cover to include earlier periods of membership in the Scheme.

For your dependent children

Please note that if there is more than one dependent child, they will share the pension equally. Children’s pensions are usually paid up until they reach age 18, or age 23 if they remain in full time education.

Pension for one child, where a pension is also being paid to your husband, wife, civil partner or cohabiting partner

1/320 of your pensionable pay multiplied by the total membership you would have built up to your Normal Pension Age.

Pension for one child, where no pension is being paid to your husband, wife, civil partner or cohabiting partner

1/240 of your pensionable pay multiplied by the total membership you would have built up to your Normal Pension Age.

Pension for two or more children, where a pension is also being paid to your husband, wife, civil partner or cohabiting partner

1/160 of your pensionable pay multiplied by the total membership you would have built up to your Normal Pension Age.

Pension for two or more children, where no pension is being paid to your husband, wife, civil partner or nominated cohabiting partner

1/120 of your pensionable pay multiplied by the total membership you would have built up to your Normal Pension Age.