Death in service

New Police Pension Scheme 2006 (NPPS 2006)

If you die whilst contributing to the NPPS and have contributed for at least two years, your partner may receive a pension. A death grant lump sum worth three times your annual pensionable pay will also be payable.

Lump sum death grant

If you die while contributing to the NPPS a death grant worth three times your annual pensionable pay will be paid to:

• your spouse or civil partner or
• your nominated partner, at the police authority's discretion and subject to conditions or
• to someone you have nominated, at the police authority's discretion if you do not have a partner or
• to your personal representative, forming part of your estate

You can nominate someone to receive the death grant by completing a Death grant nomination form. The nomination will only take effect if you have no spouse, civil partner or nominated partner, or if you both die at the same time.

Example

The death grant is three times annual pensionable pay.

• The death grant for a full time officer who earns £30,000 a year would be £90,000
• If the officer worked 50% of full time, they would earn £15,000 a year and the death grant would be £45,000

NPPS Partner's pension

If you have a spouse, civil partner or nominated partner, and you die in service having contributed to the NPPS for at least two years, your partner will receive a pension.

• The pension will be half of your pension entitlement, and will be based on enhanced service in a similar way to an ill health pension.
• The pension will be payable for life even if your partner later marries, enters into a civil partnership or cohabits.

The pension could be less if your partner is much younger than you, or if you marry or enter into a civil partnership shortly before your death. See Partner's pension.

Nominated partners

If you live with your partner, but you are not married or in a civil partnership, he or she will only receive a pension if you nominate them. See Partner's pension.

Children's pensions

If you die while contributing to the NPPS, eligible children's pensions will be based on enhanced service in a similar way to an ill health pension. See information about children's pensions.

Gratuity to estate

If you die and the payments due to your dependants (excluding the death grant) are less than your total pension contributions, the balance of those contributions will be paid to your estate.

Death gratuity

If you die as a a result of an injury received on duty, within 12 months of receiving the injury, a gratuity may be paid. It may be paid to your husband, wife, civil partner, child or other dependent relative. The gratuity is paid under the Police (Injury Benefit) Regulations. It is not part of the pension scheme.