Death Benefits after leaving but before retirement
If you die before your Normal Pension Date and before your pension has come into payment, the following benefits will be payable (click on a benefit for more information):
i) Spouse’s/Civil Partner’s Pension (if applicable)
A pension will be paid to your spouse/civil partner, from the date of death, of an amount equal to 50% of your deferred pension, including any increases granted up to the date of death.
The pension will be paid to your spouse/civil partner for their lifetime. However, if your spouse/civil partner is more than 10 years younger than you, the pension will be reduced.
If you do not have a spouse/civil partner, the Trustees have discretion to pay a pension to another person and will consider unmarried partners in the same way as married partners. However, the Trustees will only consider such dependants’ pensions to be payable where financial dependency on the member can be demonstrated. The Trustees may therefore request such information as they feel is necessary to fulfil this requirement.
ii) Children’s Pensions (if applicable)
Children’s pensions will be payable at the rate of one half of the spouse’s pension for the first child with two (or more) children sharing the equivalent value of the spouse’s pension.
Children’s pensions are payable to natural or legally adopted children up to the age of 18, or (if the Trustees so determine) under age 23 and in full time education. The Trustees also have discretion to pay children's pensions to other children who were financially dependent on you.
iii) A Refund of your contributions
The contributions that you paid to the scheme will be refunded. If no spouse/civil partner/dependant’s pension is payable the refund of contributions will include interest at the rate of 3% p.a. compound for each complete year and month between your date of leaving the scheme and the date of death.
What if I am not Married or in a Civil Partnership?
If you are not married at the date of your death, the Trustees have discretion to pay a pension to another person. In doing so, the Trustees will consider unmarried partners (of the same or opposite sex) in the same way as married partners. However, the Trustees will only consider such dependants' pensions to be payable where financial dependency on the member can be demonstrated. The Trustees may therefore request such information as they feel is necessary to fulfil this requirement.
When awarding death benefits, under the scheme, the Trustees will give consideration to beneficiaries named on your Expression of Wish form. This form can be updated at any time and you may wish to consider completing a new form if your circumstances change (eg. marriage/civil partnership/divorce/dissolution of civil partnership). The Expression of Wish form can be downloaded here.
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