On your death, pensions will be paid to your:
eligible children, and
spouse, civil partner or, if certain conditions are met, eligible cohabiting partner.
A lump sum death grant will also be paid if you:
This will depend on whether you die in service, after leaving but before you take your pension or when you are receiving your pension.
If you die in service as a member of the LGPS, the lump sum is three times your assumed pensionable pay.
If you leave before retirement with deferred benefits and you die before receiving them, the lump sum is five times your deferred yearly pension. If you are also an active member of the Scheme in another employment or elected role, this may impact on the death grant that is paid.
If you die when you are receiving your pension, the lump sum is ten times the yearly amount of your pension before giving up any pension for a lump sum, reduced by any pension and lump sum already paid to you. If you are also an active member of the Scheme in another employment or elected role, this may impact on the death grant that is paid.
The LGPS allows you to say who you would like any death grant to be paid to by completing an expression of wish form. This form is available on the Avon Pension Fund website. The pension fund, however, retains absolute discretion when deciding who to pay any death grant to. You can find out how to contact your pension fund at the end of this guide.
You should review your expression of wish form regularly and update it if your circumstances change.
Your spouse, civil partner or eligible cohabiting partner will receive a proportion of your pension. Generally, this is 30.625 per cent of the pension you built up in the Scheme. It will be paid for the rest of their life.
If you die in service as a member of the LGPS, the pension will include a proportion of the enhancement you would have received if you had retired on ill health.
If you leave before retirement with deferred benefits and die before taking them, the pension is the relevant percentage of your deferred pension.
If you die after receiving your pension, the pension is the relevant percentage of your pension before giving up pension for a lump sum and before any reductions or increases for early or late payment.
Some parts of your pension are not counted. This includes additional pension bought by paying additional pension contributions.
If you were in the 50/50 section, this does not affect the value of the survivor’s pension.