Lump sum death payment 

If you die before you have taken your deferred benefits your next-of-kin may be entitled to a lump sum death grant.

• If you left before 1 April 1998 a lump sum the same as the members retirement grant

• If you left before 1 April 2009 a lump sum of 3 times your deferred pension is paid

• If you left on or after 1 April 2009: a lump sum of 5 times your deferred pension is paid

If you have more than one LGPS deferred benefit and you are not a current active member of LGPS Scotland, in the event that you die a death grant will be payable for each deferred membership.  However, if you have deferred benefits and are paying into LGPS Scotland as an active member (employed), in the event that you die, only one death grant will be payable.  This will be the higher of the death in service lump sum or the aggregate lump sum death grants due from your deferred benefits.

You can tell us who you would like the lump sum death payment paid to by using the Expression of Wish form linked at the bottom of the page or by updating your nominated beneficiary through the My Pension Online service. Before we make any decision, we will consider any wishes you have expressed, but are not bound by this. 

If you get married, form a registered civil partnership or your marriage or partnership ceases after making a nomination, you must confirm or change the nomination. If Lothian Pension Fund has been unable to pay the death grant to the nominees within two years of your death, it will be paid to your executors.

If you make a nomination of a child under the age of 16 and a death grant is to be paid whilst the child is under 16, in these circumstances if the grant is over £5,000 it will be paid via the Accountant of Court and not direct to the child or relative. The Accountant of Court ensures that all funds and property managed or supervised is invested  prudently and administered properly until the child reaches age 16.

Survivor's pension 

When you die, we may be able to pay a pension to your husband/wife or your civil partner or your cohabiting partner and your dependent children.

Cohabiting partner need to meet the criteria shown below. 

If you left employment on or after 1 April 1998, any survivor's pension will be payable for life to your husband/wife or your civil partner or your cohabiting partner even if they remarry.

If you left employment before 1 April 1998, payment of any survivor's pension would be stopped if your husband, wife or civil partner were to remarry.

Calculating the amount of survivor's pension 

For a husband or wife, civil partner or cohabiting partner

1/160th of your pensionable pay multiplied by your total membership.

Note: Only your membership from 6 April 1988 is used for cohabiting partners, plus any of your membership before 6 April 1988 that you have opted to pay additional contributions for, so that it counts towards a cohabiting partner's pension. 

For your dependent children 

Pension for one child, where a pension is also being paid to your husband, wife, civil partner or cohabiting partner

1/320 of your pensionable pay multiplied by your total membership

Pension for one child, where no pension is being paid to your husband, wife, civil partner or cohabiting partner

1/240 of your pensionable pay multiplied by your total membership

Pension for 2 or more children, where a pension is also being paid to your husband, wife, civil partner or cohabiting partner

1/160 of your pensionable pay multiplied by your total membership. This amount is then shared equally between all eligible children.

Pension for 2 or more children, where no pension is being paid to your husband, wife, civil partner or nominated cohabiting partner

1/120 of your pensionable pay multiplied by your total membership. This amount is then shared equally among all eligible children. 

Who will get my benefits?

Lump sum death payment

We make the final decision on whom to pay the lump sum to. Before we decide, we will consider any wishes you have expressed, but are not bound by this. Please refer to our Pensions Discretion Policy

You can let us know your wishes by filling in an Expression of Wish nomination form linked below or by updating your nominated beneficiary through the My Pension Online service.

Cohabiting partner's pensions

In order for benefits to be paid to a cohabiting partner,  they will need to meet certain criteria, as follows:

(a)   the person (P) has fulfilled the condition in paragraph (i), and the conditions in (ii) to (iv) for a continuous period of at least 2 years on the date the member (M) died:

• (i) M is able to marry or form a civil partnership with P;
• (ii) M and P are living together as if they were a married couple or as if they were civil partners;
• (iii) neither M nor P is living with a third person as if they were a married couple or as if they were civil partners; and
• (iv) either P is financially dependent on M, or M and P are financially interdependent;

All of the above must be met for a continuous period of at least 2 years prior to your death. 

Children's pensions are payable to any eligible dependent children you may have when you die or born up to one year after.