Death benefits

The 2006 scheme provides a pension of 50% the value of your full pension to your spouse, civil partner or co-habiting partner when you die. 

If your partner is more than 12 years younger than you, the pension will be reduced by 2.5% for every year or part of a year over 12 years. The maximum the pension would be reduced by is 50%.

All adult survivor pensions are payable for life, irrespective of whether the survivor remarries or forms a new partnership.

A child’s pension may also be payable when you die.

The pension is generally 25% of your full pension. If there are more than two children, each receives an amount equivalent to 50% of the pension entitlement divided by the number of children.

Eligible children include:

• A child who is your natural child
• A stepchild or adopted child
• A child who was dependent on you (either financially or by reason of disability) at the time of your death.

The child must also be:

• Under age 19; or
• Under age 23 and in full time education; or
• Permanently disabled at the date of your death, in which case the pension is payable for life

Child’s pensions are capped so that the child would receive total income (from training or employment and the child’s pension) of no more than the income support level for a single person aged 18-24.