Improving access and fairness in the LGPS

The Government has confirmed a series of changes to the LGPS to improve fairness. Most took effect from 1 April 2026, with some applied retrospectively.

Fairer survivor benefits

From 1 April 2026, survivor pensions are calculated more consistently to ensure equal treatment regardless of the sex of the deceased member or their surviving spouse/civil partner. Some survivor pensions will be increased as more of the member’s service before April 2014 will now count. Some survivor pensions will become payable for the first time (most likely to affect male survivors of female members who left the scheme before April 1988).

You do not need to take any action. Where necessary, we will recalculate survivor pensions and pay arrears with interest.

Changes to death grants

Age limit removed: A death grant can now be paid even if a member dies after age 75 (this covers any deaths after age 75 from 1 April 2014). The Fund will identify any new cases.

• More discretion over who receives the death grant: Your pension fund no longer has to pay late death grants to personal representatives. It can now use discretion to choose the most appropriate beneficiaries. This affects the taxation of the death grant.

Explore more about Access and Fairness