Your dependant(s) may be entitled to receive benefits from the Scheme in the event of your death. This might include a lump sum (only if you die within five years of retiring from the Scheme), a dependant’s pension, children's pensions, and a bereavement grant.

You can nominate who you wish to receive the tax-free lump sum death benefit by quickly and easily updating your nomination details online via My Online Services.

If you're not married, you can nominate someone who is financially dependent or interdependent on you to receive the dependant’s pension. This can be done quickly and easily online via My Online Services.

In both cases, this will update your records immediately. You can log in and review or change your nominations at any time. If you’re unable to use My Online Services, you can complete a paper form, which is available on the documents page.

What's the process?
1 Your next of kin or personal representative notifies us
2 Within two working days we'll send your next of kin a letter with the process for paying benefits
3 If there's been an over or underpayment of pension, we'll include the details

Dependant's pension

The Scheme pays a dependant’s pension to your spouse, civil partner or other nominated dependant for the rest of their life. If you’re not married or in a civil partnership, and left service after 1 October 1987, you can nominate:

  • a partner
  • an aged parent
  • a disabled child who can’t support themselves financially
What's the process?

1If you're married we'll ask for the following so we can set up a dependant's pension, and pensions for any eligible children:

  • Death certificate (photocopy)
  • Birth and marriage certificates (originals or certified copies)
  • Bank form
2 We then arrange the pension from the next available pay date, which is the 15th of each month

Keep your nomination forms updated.

Lump sum

A lump sum is paid if you die within the first five years of your first pension payment.

It will be the amount you would have been paid as a pension over the remaining years up to that five-year mark.

What's the process?
1 If you die within five years of retirement we'll send your next of kin/personal representative a Trustee questionnaire
2 Once they send it back, we share it with the Trustees
3 The Trustees decide where the tax-free death lump sum should be paid
4 Your beneficiaries are notified, and the amount is confirmed to the personal representative (if applicable)

Reporting a death

Bereavement grant

This is a one-off payment of £1,000, payable on the death of a pensioner who was a retired employee, to help towards immediate funeral expenses.

It’s paid by the Trustees, which means there isn’t any liability for Inheritance Tax.

If it’s needed to cover funeral costs, the Trustees will pay it directly to the funeral director. If funeral expenses are already provided for, the benefit will be paid to a beneficiary or beneficiaries chosen by the Trustees.

When we write to your next of kin we'll include a bereavement grant form.

Reporting a death

Death of a Dependant

If you die while receiving a dependant's pension:

What's the process?
1 Your next of kin or personal representative needs to notify UK Pensions Operations.
2 Within two working days the team will send your next of kin a letter
3 If there’s been an over or underpayment of pension, the team include the details
4 Your next of kin replies and sends us a photocopy of the death certificate
5 The pension payments end