A pension is provided for a surviving widow, widower, registered civil partner or, subject to certain qualifying conditions, a cohabiting partner. A survivors pension is due immediately after death (providing conditions are met), for the rest of their life, and will be adjusted every year in line with the cost of living (CPI). Pensions may also be due to eligible children.

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, if you are under the age of 75 at the date of death. You can choose who you would like this lump sum to be paid to by completing an expression of wish form. Please remember to keep this up to date if your circumstances change.

If you die in service and:

• you're paying, or have paid, additional contributions to buy extra LGPS pension through additional pension contributions (APCs) (or shared cost additional pension contributions (SCAPCs)), these won't count towards the value of any survivors pension or children’s pensions.
• you chose before 1 April 2014 to pay additional regular contributions (ARCs) then, if you chose to pay for survivors benefits when you took out your original contract, extra benefits will be due to your loved ones. If you were paying the ARCs at the date of death you will be deemed to have completed all payments. If you didn't choose to pay for survivors benefits when you took out your original ARC contract, then no extra benefits will be due.
• you chose before 1 April 2008 to buy LGPS added years of membership, you will be given on your death with the whole extra period of membership that you set out to buy, even if you've not completed full payment for it. This will increase the value of the benefits payable for your spouse, civil partner or eligible cohabiting partner and to any eligible children.
• you chose before 1 April 2014 to buy extra nominated cohabiting partner survivors benefits, then the whole of your pre 6 April 1988 membership that you were paying additional contributions for, will be included in working out any survivors pension due to an eligible cohabiting partner, even if you've not completed full payment for it.
• if you're paying additional voluntary contributions (AVCs) arranged through the LGPS (in-house AVCs), the value of any extra life cover pension for your spouse, civil partner or eligible cohabiting partner and eligible children paid for through AVCs is also due.

You must tell us about a member’s death as soon as possible so we can work out what benefits are due. If you’re telling us about a death, you should have the following information:

• Full name and address of the deceased
• The date of death and where the death was registered
• Reference number such as national insurance number or payroll number
• Full name and address of the next of kin and a phone number

We’ll write to the next of kin and ask to see the death certificate. We may also ask for information about marital status and ‘eligible’ children.

Once we know who should receive a survivors pension and/or death grant, the benefits will be worked out and paid.