Active members

In this section:

• New joiners
• Automatic Enrolment 2023
• Absences from work
• Increasing your pension benefits
• Opting out
• Paying less into your pension
• Considering retirement
• Death in service benefits

See also:

• Divorce proceedings

Death in service benefits

This section looks at the benefits that would be payable if you were to die whilst in service.

For information about what happens if you die after leaving the scheme, see Death benefits for deferred members or Death benefits for pensioners.

Death grant lump sum

If you die in service as a member of the LGPS, a death grant lump sum of three times your assumed pensionable pay at your date of death is paid, no matter how long you have been a member of the LGPS, provided you are under age 75 at the date of death.

If you also have a deferred benefit and/or a pension in payment from a previous period of membership of the LGPS, the lump sum death grant that will be payable is the greater of:

• the total of any death grant lump sums payable from the deferred and/or pensions in payment
• three times your assumed pensionable pay at your date of death i.e. the death in service lump sum.

Where an independent registered medical practitioner certifies that, during the period used to determine assumed pensionable pay, you were working reduced contractual hours because of the ill-health which led to death in service, the assumed pensionable pay is calculated on the pay you would have received during that period had you not been working reduced contractual hours.

If you pay Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) arranged through the LGPS (in-house AVCs), the value of your AVC fund is also payable, as is any extra life cover.

Survivor benefits

An ongoing pension is provided for your spouse, registered civil partner or, subject to certain qualifying conditions, your eligible cohabiting partner and to your eligible children. For more information about the benefits payable use the 'Find out more' options on the national LGPS members’ website.

As the administering authority for the pension fund, the Council has absolute discretion over who receives any death grant lump sum but it is important that you let us know your wishes by completing an Death Grant - Expression of wish form.

If any part of the death grant has not been paid within 2 years, it must be paid to your personal representatives, i.e. to your Estate, and in accordance with HMRC rules a special lump sum death benefits charge will be applied. Please remember to complete a new form if your wishes change.