What happens when a member dies

• for most people who have not yet retired, a spouse’s pension for life
• for most people who have retired, a spouse’s pension for life
• for most spouse pensioners, the option to swap some of their pension for a lump sum when the pension starts

If you have a partner who you are not married to, they may get a pension at the Trustees' discretion. We might ask you to provide evidence of your relationship.

If you are single and nobody is financially dependent on you, we do not pay out a pension when you die.

Any children under 18 will receive a pension.

At the Trustees' discretion, we may be able to pay a pension to:

• someone you support financially
• someone who looks after your children

If you die before you start taking your Scheme pension, or within 5 years of taking it, we may be able to pay out a lump sum. Who can get the lump sum, and how much they get, will depend on your circumstances.

There is no lump sum payable if you have been receiving your Scheme pension for more than 5 years.

You can tell us who you’d like the lump sum to go to by filling in an Expression of Wish form. It’s important to keep it up to date so that it reflects your wishes. We have to pay out any money in line with the rules of the Scheme, which means we do not have to do what it says on your form. But we will take your wishes into account where we can.