Death in service

Police Pension Scheme 1987 (PPS 1987)

Death grant

If you die while contributing to the PPS a lump sum worth two times your annual pensionable pay will be paid to:

  • your husband, wife or civil partner
  • your estate, if you do not have a spouse or civil partner

If you work part time, your part time pay will be used to work out the death grant.

Example

If an officer's full time pay was £30,000 and he or she worked 50% of full time, the death grant would be £15,000.

Pension for your husband, wife or civil partner

Woman married to a man

If you are female and have a husband, he will receive a pension if you die in service.

  • For the first 13 weeks your husband's pension along with any children's pensions, will be equal to your pensionable pay and any rent or housing allowance
  • After that, the pension will be half of your pension based only on service from 17 May 1990, and the amount of any GMP (the minimum that the PPS must pay) in respect of your service from 6 April 1988 to 16 May 1990

Man married to a woman

If you are male and have a wife, she will receive a pension if you die in service.

  • For the first 13 weeks your wife's pension, along with any children's pensions, will be equal to your pensionable pay and any rent or housing allowance
  • After that the pension will be half of your pension (unless you joined the PPS before April 1972)

Same-sex marriage or civil partnership

If you are female with a wife or civil partner, she will receive a pension if you die in service.

  • For the first 13 weeks your civil partner's pension along with any children's pensions, will be equal to your pensionable pay and any rent or housing allowance
  • After that, the pension will be half of your pension based only on service from 17 May 1990, and the amount of any GMP (the minimum that the PPS must pay) in respect of your service from 6 April 1988 to 16 May 1990

If you are male with a husband or civil partner, he will receive a pension if you die in service.

  • For the first 13 weeks your civil partner's pension along with any children's pensions, will be equal to your pensionable pay and any rent or housing allowance
  • After that, the pension will be half of your pension based only on service from 6 April 1988
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 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 2006. It is not part of the pension scheme.