If you die while you are getting a pension, any benefits payable will depend on when you retired and if you have any dependants when you die.
Please note – from 1 April 2026, the Government have made changes to some of the historic survivor benefits rules in the LGPS. We will be in touch with any members or survivors who are impacted by the changes in due course. If you would like to know more, please contact us.
Survivors' pensions are payable to your husband/wife or your civil partner or cohabiting partner. If you would like benefits to be paid to a cohabiting partner, they will need to meet certain conditions – click here for more information.
Children's pensions are payable to any eligible children you may have when you die.
The amount of a survivor's pension depends on a number of factors - please contact us for the details applicable to your circumstances.
The amount of pension is based on how long you were in the Scheme, your pay when you retired, and the dependants you leave. The pension will be payable for life to your husband/wife or your civil partner or your cohabiting partner even if they remarry.
If you got married after you retired, not all your membership may count towards a pension for your husband or wife, civil partner or cohabiting partner.
A lump sum may be payable if you die as a pensioner member. It will depend on when you left the LGPS, when you retired and how many years pension you have received.
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 discretion over who receives any lump sum death grant.
If you left after 31 March 2008, a lump sum may be payable if you die before you have taken ten years' pension.
If you left the LGPS between 1 April 1998 and 31 March 2008, a lump sum may be payable if you die before you have taken five years' pension.
If you left before 1 April 1998 and are receiving your pension, a death grant may be paid when you die. The calculation is complex and you should contact us if you need more information.
If you die on or after age 75, it used to be that no lump sum could be paid. However, the government has recently changed this so that death grants can still be paid where a member dies after this age, and they have not yet received the amount of pension listed above.
This change is being backdated to apply to deaths occurring since 1 April 2014, meaning that a death grant may now be due where none was originally. This applies where a member died after age 75 and the cut-off meant no death grant was payable where otherwise it would have been. We will be taking steps to identify those affected by this in our Fund and make any additional payments. Please contact us if you believe a family member of yours was affected by this and you would like to know more.
Note that a death grant paid after a member has reached the age of 75 is not paid tax free. Instead, it will be treated as income for the recipient(s) and taxed accordingly.
If you die while you are getting a pension, any benefits payable will depend on when you retired and if you have any dependants when you die.
When you die, it is important that whoever is looking after your affairs lets us know as soon as possible.
We can then stop your pension and put in place any new pensions which are due. This will help us make sure we don't make any overpayments and have to claim back money.
In the event of your death, we will require whoever is looking after your affairs to contact us and to give us the following information:
Your name, address and date of death
Your payroll reference number and National Insurance number, these can be found on a recent pay slip or your P60
The name and address of your next of kin
The name and address of the person looking after your affairs if they are not your next of kin
Sight of the death certificate
Alternatively, you can make use of the government's "Tell Us Once" service which allows people to report a death to most government organisations in one go. The Registrar will provide details about this and tell you if they have been able to contact us. Watch a video explaining how the "Tell Us Once" service works.