Death benefits (after retirement)
The LGPS provides valuable life cover and financial protection for your family. This section looks at the benefits that would be payable if you were to die after you have retired and are receiving payment of your pension.
If you die after you have retired, payment of your pension benefits will stop. Your spouse, civil partner, eligible cohabiting partner, next-of-kin or person dealing with your estate should inform us of your date of death as soon as possible to avoid your pension being overpaid.
The benefits that may be payable depend on when you left the LGPS and are set out below:
Lump sum death grant
If you left the LGPS on or after 1 April 2008
A lump sum death grant will be paid if you die and less than 10 years pension has been paid and you are under age 75 at the date of death. The amount payable would be:
10 times the level of your annual pension in respect of your membership of the scheme after 31 March 2014 (before giving up any pension for a tax free cash lump sum), less any pension already paid to you in respect of your post 31 March 2014 membership and the amount of any tax-free cash lump sum you chose to take by giving up some of the pension you built up after 31 March 2014 when you drew your pension at retirement, plus
10 times the level of your annual pension in respect of your membership of the scheme before 1 April 2014 (after giving up any pension for a tax free cash lump sum), less any pension already paid to you in respect of your pre 1 April 2014 membership.
If you left the LGPS between 1 April 1998 - 31 March 2008
A lump sum death grant will be paid if you die and less than 5 years pension has been paid and you are under age 75 at the age of death. The amount payable would be:
5 times the level of your annual pension in respect of your membership in the scheme (after giving up any pension for a tax free cash lump), less any pension already paid to you.
If you left the LGPS before 1 April 1998
The calculation of the death grant depends on whether you have more than, or less than, 10 years service that counts towards the calculation of your pension benefits. The calculation is complex and you can ask us for an estimate of the amount that may be payable, if applicable.
However, if you are drawing a pension and you are also an active member of the LGPS when you die, the death grant payable is the higher of:
the amount as calculated above, or
three times your assumed pensionable pay in your active employment
Survivor benefits
An ongoing pension is provided for your spouse, registered civil partner or, subject to certain qualifying conditions, your eligible cohabiting partner (if you were a member of the LGPS on or after 1 April 2008) and to your eligible children.
Please click the links below for more information:
Who is the death grant paid to?
How is a partner's pension worked out? (already retired)
How is a child's pension worked out? (already retired)
What is an eligible child? (already retired)
What is an eligible co-habiting partner? (already retired)
Dealing with financial affairs following a bereavement
