Human Resources
Back to 2006 Police Pension Scheme (NPPS)
Survivor Benefits
When you die, your 'survivors', which can include your spouse or civil partner, unmarried partner and children, may be eligible to receive benefits. The benefits which may be payable will depend on whether you die in service or after you retire and on the length of your pensionable service at the date of your death. No survivors’ benefits will be payable if you had opted out of NPPS at the date of your death. More details are given below.
Lump Sum Death Grant
If you die while serving, provided you were a member of NPPS (and had not opted out) at the time of your death, a lump sum death grant of three times your annual pensionable pay at the time will be paid to:
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Your spouse or civil partner, if you have one
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If you have no spouse or civil partner, and at the discretion of the police authority, to an unmarried partner (if all relevant documentation has been completed)
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If you have no spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner, and again at the discretion of the police authority, to a person nominated by you
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Otherwise, to your personal representative – usually the executor of your will – and thus will form part of your estate.
Adult Survivor Awards
Adult survivors can include spouses, civil partners and unmarried partners who are not civil partners.
Spouse or Civil Partner
A spouse/civil partner will get a pension of half your pension entitlement, payable for life. There is no increase for the first 13 weeks and no lump sum.
Pensions for spouses/civil partners and unmarried partners are reduced if the survivor is more than 12 years younger than you. if the marriage or registration of a civil partner was less than 6 months before your death, the police authority has discretion to withhold the pension.
Unmarried Partner
An unmarried partner may be eligible to receive a pension on the same basis as a spouse/civil partner if certain conditions are satisfied and appropriate documentation has been completed.
The main conditions are:
- you and your partner have together completed and sent to the appropriate police authority a joint declaration of partnership.
- at the time of your death, you and your partner were living together as partners in an exclusive, committed and long-term relationship.
- either your partner was financially dependent on you or both you and your partner were financially interdependent.
- you and your partner were either free to marry each other (if you are of the opposite sex) or free to form a civil partnership with each other (if you are of the same sex).
If you are an officer living with an unmarried partner it is very important that you read the Guidance on Unmarried Partners, available in the Downloads section, to see if your partner could qualify for a NPPS pension and the action that you need to take.
Children's Pensions
Children will receive a pension if they are:
- your natural, step- or adopted children or dependent on the officer at the date of their death (who do not have to be related) and
- under 19 or
- over 19 and in full-time education or disabled. Pensions for non-disabled children stop at age 23.
A child will get a child’s pension, which is normally 25% of your pension entitlement (less if there are more than two children). There is no increase for the first 13 weeks.
