Death Grants and nomination forms
Contents
Overview
How and when a death grant gets paid depends on what type of member you are and your situation.
Active members
If you die before receiving your benefits, a death grant may be payable. In most cases, if you die in service as a member of the LGPS a lump sum death grant 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.
Previous members
If you die before receiving your deferred benefits into payment, a death grant may be payable. The rules on death grants are complex and vary depending on when you left LGPS.
Please note: the rules are different for Pension Credit Members, due to the nature of the benefits allocated after a Pension Sharing Order is granted through the Court system.
Pensioner members
If you die before your 75th birthday whilst receiving a pension and within the first few years of retirement, a death grant may be payable. The rules on death grants are complex and vary depending on when you left LGPS and how long you have been receiving your pension.
Deciding who receives a death grant
Under the Scheme rules, the Fund must decide who receives any death grant. Normally, the nomination form will be followed. However, forms can become out of date as circumstances change and occasions do arise where the Fund must use its discretion where the form no longer appears appropriate. So, it is important that you submit a new form if your circumstances change.
If a death grant is payable, it will generally be paid to either:
- The person(s) named on your Death Grant Nomination Form
- Your estate, if you have not completed a Death Grant Nomination Form.
The Fund may have to take any financial dependents into account when deciding who should receive the death grant. If you are under age 75, and have not already done so, you can complete a Death Grant Nomination Form to let us know your wishes - please remember it is your responsibility to keep your Nomination Form up to date if your circumstances change or you wish to amend your nomination.
You can now update your nomination via our mypension online service. Alternatively you can download the form from our website, see Forms.
Please note: If there is any dispute or doubt in respect of the death grant nomination form, your Pension Fund as administering authority has absolute discretion to pay the death grant to the person(s) nominated or your personal representative(s) or relative or dependant.