Pensioners

In this section:

• Payment dates
• Acting on behalf of a pensioner
• Overseas pensioners
• Payslips
• Pensions increase
• Re-employment
• Tax
• Death benefits for pensioners

See also:

• Divorce proceedings

Death benefits for pensioners

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 the Pensions Shared Service of your date of death as soon as possible to avoid your pension being overpaid. We will then ask that a certified copy of the death certificate is sent to us when it is available. The final calculations of tax and balance of pension have to be processed through the usual pensioner payroll runs so it will probably take around 6 weeks for us to be in a position to confirm the balance of pension due to or from the estate to your executor.

In addition to any balance of pension, there may be death benefits payable:

Death grant lump sum

The amount payable depends on when you left the LGPS. 

If you left the LGPS on or after 1 April 2008

A death grant lump sum will be paid if you die when fewer than 10 years' pension has been paid, and you are under age 75 at your 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 before 1 April 2008

A lump sum death grant will be paid if you die and fewer 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 is more complex and depends on whether you have more than, or less than, 10 years service that counts towards the calculation of your pension benefits.

Please note that 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.

For more information about the benefits payable visit the national LGPS members’ website.