Death

If you need to tell us someone has died,

• call on 01274 434999 or
• email pensions@wypf.org.uk 

It will help us find the right record if you have the person's full name, their pension member number or national insurance number, and their most recent contact details.  

What do we need to know when you contact us?

To make it as easy as possible we'll only need a couple of things from you initially

• next of kin details
• executor or other appropriate person contact information (i.e. a name, address and phone number)
• the date of death

We'll then write out asking for more detailed information and explain the process fully. 

There's a few things you can do yourself to make sure your pension records are fully up to date and to make dealing with your estate as easy as possible for those that you leave behind. 

• Complete a death grant nomination form (FPS 2006 or 2015 only)
• Tell us if you have an eligible co-habiting partner (FPS 2006 or 2015 only)
• Make sure you have a current will
• Make a note of your pension member number in your records (you will find this on your annual statements, online and on pension payslips, if you're a pensioner). 

When a FPS 1992 member dies (whether before or after retirement), a pension will be paid to a surviving spouse.

Provided husband and wife were not living separately the widow(er)'s pension would be:

• in the case of a serving Scheme member – half of the total lower and higher tier ill-health pensions to which the firefighter would have been entitled if he/she had retired on health grounds on the date of death;
• in the case of a retired Scheme member where the marriage took place before the member ceased to be a firefighter – half of the former firefighter's pension as calculated before any reduction was made for commutation and/or allocation;
  in the case a firefighter, or former firefighter entitled to a deferred pension which was not in payment at the date of death – half of the deferred pension.
• If the FPS 1992 member had worked part-time, account will be taken of this in the assessment of the widow(er)'s pension.

For firefighters with service before April 1972, the pension may be less than half. WYPF can give personalised details if required.

Husband and wife living separately

If husband and wife were living separately at the date of death, the surviving spouse's pension would be calculated as:

pensionable service after 5.4.1978 x 1/160 x average pensionable pay

However, if a greater pension ("the full pension") would be payable if husband and wife were not living apart, the pension calculated by the formula shown above:

• must be increased to the level of any maintenance contributions the deceased was paying or liable to pay at the date of death for the support of spouse and/or child, but this must not be greater than the full pension
• may be increased to the full pension at the discretion of the fire and rescue authority.

Post-retirement marriage

If a former firefighter marries after leaving the fire and rescue service the surviving spouse's pension would be assessed as the greater of the following –

pensionable service after 5.4.1978 x 1/160 x firefighter's average pensionable pay,

or

1/2 × service after 5.4.1978
total pensionable service × firefighter's pension

Same sex marriage

If an FPS 1992 member dies (before or after retirement), the widow(er) of a same sex marriage would be entitled to a pension based on similar principles to those set out above for a widow(er) but it would reflect service from 6 April 1978 only.

Surviving Civil Partners pension

The surviving partner of a registered civil partnership would be entitled to a pension based on similar principles to those set out above for the widow(er) of a same sex marriage.

Flat rate pension

Instead of the standard awards set out above, a widow(er), civil partner or child can elect, instead, to receive a "flat rate" award. This is the type of award that was provided in the early days of the FPS 1992 when dependants' awards were quite limited. Nowadays it is unlikely that a flat rate award would provide a better pension in respect of a firefighter appointed after the mid 1970s.

Survivor’s additional pension benefit

If a firefighter has entitlement to an Additional Pension Benefit ("APB"), whether or not it is in payment at the date of death, a portion is paid to a surviving spouse or civil partner and/or any eligible children. The portion will reflect the percentage of the main FPS 1992 pension that is paid, e.g. half to a widow, 18.75% to a single eligible child, etc.

Dependent relative’s gratuity

This can be paid at the discretion of the fire and rescue authority if the FPS 1992 member dies in service or after retirement (other than with a deferred pension). The recipient must be a relative who was substantially dependent on the Scheme member at the date of death and must not be entitled to any other award under the Scheme. A relative in this context means a widow(er), civil partner, parent, a grandparent, a child of the member or any child of these relatives. In normal circumstances, of course, the widow(er), civil partner, or child of the member will nowadays be entitled to an award under the main provisions of the FPS 1992. This is another provision dating back to when Scheme rules did not offer the current level of dependants' awards.

The award can be of any amount provided it does not exceed the total contributions paid into the Scheme by the FPS 1992 member.

Payment of contributions to the estate

If the total actuarial value of benefits paid to an FPS 1992 member's surviving spouse, civil partner and children (plus any benefits paid to the member if death is after retirement) is less than the contributions he/she has paid into the FPS 1992, the difference will be paid to the firefighter's estate.

Bereavement Pension

For the first 13 weeks following the FPS 1992 member’s death, the surviving spouse or civil partner will be paid a “bereavement pension” which, for each week, is the difference between the survivor’s pension and

• in the case of death in service, the weekly rate of pensionable pay of the firefighter at the date of death,
• in the case of death while in receipt of a pension, the weekly rate of pension being paid at the date of death, including any Pensions Increase.

A bereavement pension is not paid in respect of an optant out or a FPS 1992 member with deferred benefits which were not into payment at the date of death.

If there is no surviving spouse or civil partner to receive the bereavement pension, it could be paid instead to a child who is receiving a pension under the scheme.

In the event of a FPS 2006 member's death (whether before or after retirement) a pension will be paid to a surviving spouse, or civil partner, or co-habiting partner and/or child.

If the deceased was a serving FPS 2006 member:

• the spouse's or partner's pension would be half of the higher tier award to which the firefighter would be entitled if he/she had retired on health grounds on the date of death;
• the child's pension would be one quarter of the higher tier ill-health award; where there is more than one eligible child, the pension would be one half of the higher tier award divided between the children.

If the deceased had left FPS 2006, was entitled to a deferred pension, but that pension had not yet come into payment:

• the spouse's or partner's pension would be half of the deferred pension;
• the child's pension would be one quarter of the deferred pension; where there is more than one eligible child, the pension would be one half of the deferred pension divided between the children.

If the deceased was in receipt of pension from FPS 2006 at the time of death:

• the spouse's or partner's pension would be half of the deceased's pension*;
• the child's pension would be one quarter of the deceased's pension;* where there is more than one eligible child, the pension would be one half of the deceased's pension* divided between the children.
  *i.e. the value of the pension before any reduction for early payment but after commutation.

Note that if the spouse or partner is more than 12 years younger than the deceased, the spouse or partner's pension as mentioned above in respect of serving, deferred and pensioner members, will be reduced by 2.5% for every year or part year above the 12 years, to a maximum of 50%.

If the deceased leaves no eligible spouse or partner but there is an eligible child or children, the pension paid to the child/children would be equivalent to that which would have been paid to an eligible spouse or partner. If there is more than one child, the pension would be divided equally between the children. It would stop when the children cease to be eligible.

For the first 13 weeks following death, the spouse or partner will receive a “bereavement pension”. In effect, this tops up their pension to the level of the deceased's pensionable pay (death in service) or pension (death after pension comes into payment). If no pension is payable to a spouse or partner but a pension is payable to a child or children, they would receive the bereavement pension. (If there is more than one child, the bereavement pension would be divided between them.)

There is no bereavement pension due in the case of a deferred pension which had not come into payment at the date of death.

A spouse's or partner's pension is payable for life, even if he/she marries, remarries, forms a civil partnership or a subsequent civil partnership. Also, there is no difference in treatment according to whether the marriage/partnership commenced before or after the Scheme member's retirement.

A child is eligible to receive a pension if below age 18, or below age 23 and in full-time education. Eligibility ceases on marriage, civil partnership or upon ceasing full-time education and entering remunerated employment, if earlier. A child who is permanently disabled and dependent on the firefighter at the date of death may be entitled to receive a pension for life.

Contact West Yorkshire Pension Fund if you wish to have more detailed information on any of these points, or would like to discuss your personal circumstances.

What if you are a retained firefighter?

In the event of a FPS 2006 member's death (whether before or after retirement) a pension will be paid to a surviving spouse, or civil partner, or co-habiting partner and/or child.

If the deceased was a serving FPS 2006 member:

• the spouse's or partner's pension would be half of the higher tier award to which the firefighter would have been entitled if he/she had retired on health grounds on the date of death;
• the child's pension would be one quarter of the higher tier ill-health award; where there is more than one eligible child, the pension would be one half of the higher tier award divided between the children.

If the deceased had left FPS 2006, was entitled to a deferred pension, but that pension had not yet come into payment:

• the spouse's or partner's pension would be half of the deferred pension;
• the child's pension would be one quarter of the deferred pension; where there is more than one eligible child, the pension would be one half of the deferred pension divided between the children.

If the deceased was in receipt of pension from FPS 2006 at the time of death:

• the spouse's or partner's pension would be half of the deceased's pension;*
• the child's pension would be one quarter of the deceased's pension; * where there is more than one eligible child, the pension would be one half of the deceased's pension* divided between the children.
  *i.e. the value of the pension before any reduction for early payment but after commutation

Note that if the spouse or partner is more than 12 years younger than the deceased, the spouse or partner's pension as mentioned above in respect of serving, deferred or pensioner members, will be reduced by 2.5% for every year or part year above the 12 years, to a maximum of 50%.

If the deceased leaves no eligible spouse or partner but there is an eligible child or children, the pension paid to the child/children would be equivalent to that which would have been paid to an eligible spouse or partner. If there is more than one child, the pension would be divided equally between the children. It would stop when the children cease to be eligible.

The calculation of these awards for retained firefighters will have regard to the principles for assessing pensionable service and pensionable pay for firefighters as shown in the previous sections, but no other special terms apply.

In the case of death after retirement, or after a deferred pension has been put into payment, for the first 13 weeks after the date of death a short-term "bereavement pension" is payable to the spouse or partner. This brings the level of spouse or partner's pension up to the weekly rate of pension being received by the retired firefighter at the date of death. There are no special provisions here for a retained firefighter – all the relevant adjustments would have been made at the time of retirement.

A bereavement pension is also payable in the event of death in service, for the first 13 weeks after the date of death. This brings the level of spouse or partner's pension up to the level of firefighter's pensionable pay. In the case of a retained firefighter, the pensionable pay for this purpose will be a proportion of that paid to a whole-time regular firefighter in a similar role.

The proportion is worked out on similar principles to those used for working out the pensionable pay on which a death grant would be assessed. The retained firefighter in the death grant example had 5 years 291 days of qualifying service (5.7973 years) of which 1.6915 years counted as pensionable service, and the pensionable pay of a whole-time regular firefighter in a similar role was £28,000. Using the same details for the bereavement pension, this would mean that for the first 13 weeks following the firefighter's death in service, the weekly rate of the bereavement pension would be:

£28,000/52.2 x 1.6915/5.7973 = £156.51

If no pension is payable to a spouse or partner but a pension is payable to a child or children, they would receive the bereavement pension. (If there is more than one child, the bereavement pension would be divided between them.)

There is no bereavement pension due in the case of a deferred pension which had not come into payment at the date of death.

A spouse's or partner's pension is payable for life, even if he/she marries, remarries, forms a civil partnership or a subsequent civil partnership. Also, there is no difference in treatment according to whether the marriage/partnership commenced before or after the Scheme member's retirement.

In the event of the death of a Scheme member (whether before or after retirement) provided they had at least 3 months' qualifying service, a pension will be paid to an eligible surviving partner.

The Scheme member's active, deferred or retirement account would be closed and a pension account would be established for the surviving partner.

A person is a "surviving partner" if they are:

• the spouse or civil partner of the member, or
• cohabiting with the member and:
  • not married or in a civil partnership with that member or any other person, and
  • could enter into a marriage or civil partnership with that member under the law of England and Wales but have not done so, and
  • financially dependent on the member or is, with the member, in a state of mutual financial dependency, and
    in a long-term relationship with the member, i.e. a relationship that has continued for a period of at least 2 years at the time the question of status needs to be considered (or a shorter period at the discretion of the authority).

Subject to the "wide age disparity" rule mentioned below, a surviving partner's pension:

• following the death of an active member would be half of the pension which the member would be entitled to draw if, at the date of death, they had retired on the grounds of ill-health with a higher tier ill-health pension.
• following the death of a deferred member would be half of the amount of pension in the member's deferred account plus half of any added pension in the member's added pension account 
• following the death of a pensioner member would be half of the rate of pension payable to the member immediately before the death (this would be the pension after any commutation or allocation but before any reduction made for early retirement.)

The "wide age disparity" rule requires that if, on the death of an active, deferred or pensioner member a surviving partner's pension is payable to a person who is more than 12 years' younger than the member, that pension must be reduced by the lower of:

(a) 50% of the annual rate of pension, or

(b) 2.5 x (N - 12)% of the annual rate of pension.

where N is the number of whole years by which the surviving partner is younger than the member.

For example, if the surviving partner's pension is, say £12,000 a year but they were 15 years younger than the member, the pension must be reduced by the lower of:

(a) 50% x £12,000, i.e. £6,000, or

(b) 2.5 x (15 – 12)% x £12,000, i.e. £900.

The surviving partner's pension will be £12,000 - £900 = £11,100 a year.

A surviving partner's pension is payable for life. It would not cease on marriage or remarriage or upon entering into a new partnership.

In addition to the surviving partner's pension, a "bereavement pension" may also be payable.

For the first 13 weeks following the death of a member, a "bereavement pension" may be paid to a surviving partner.

If the member was:

• an active member at the date of death, the weekly amount of bereavement pension would be the difference between the weekly amount of pensionable pay or assumed pensionable pay that the member was receiving at the date of death, and the weekly amount of surviving partner's pension.
• a pensioner member at the date of death, the weekly amount of bereavement pension would be the difference between the weekly amount of pension to which the pensioner member was entitled at the date of death, and the weekly amount of surviving partner's pension.
• a deferred member at the date of death and the pension had not come into payment, no bereavement pension would be payable.

Where there is no surviving partner, an eligible child would be entitled to the bereavement pension. If there is more than one eligible child, the bereavement pension would be divided so that each receives an equal share.

The amount of bereavement pension would be the same as for a surviving partner according to whether the deceased was an active member, or a member in receipt of a pension. If one of the children ceases to be eligible during the 13 weeks for which payment is to be made, the pension would be re-divided in equal portions between the remaining eligible children.

Payment of bereavement pension would also be made to an eligible child or children if a surviving partner entitled to the payment were to die before the end of the 13 week payment period. The child or children would receive bereavement pension for the remaining part of the period.

When a FPS 1992 member dies (before or after retirement) a pension will be paid to an eligible child.

“Child”, in this context, means a legitimate or illegitimate child, a step-child or adopted child of the member, and any other child substantially dependent on the member who is either related to him/her or a child of his/her spouse or civil partner.

A child will normally not be eligible if he/she:

• is age 18 or older;
• has ceased full-time education and is in paid employment; or
• is married or has entered into a civil partnership.

However, a child aged 18 or over will be eligible if:

• under age 23 and in full-time education or attending a course which lasts for at least a year, or
• at the date of the (former) firefighter’s death was dependent upon him/her because of permanent disablement.

The amount of a child's pension due would depend upon the number of eligible children and whether or not the child or children have a surviving parent.

If an FPS 1992 member dies in service, where there is a surviving parent and less than 3 eligible children, each child would receive 18.75% of the combined lower and higher tier ill-health pensions; if there are 3 or more eligible children, 37.5% of the combined lower and higher-tier ill-health pensions would be divided equally by the number of children.

If there is no surviving parent and less than 3 eligible children, each child would receive 25% of the combined lower and higher tier ill-health pensions; if there are 3 or more eligible children, 50% of the combined lower and higher-tier ill-health pensions would be divided equally by the number of children.

If a person dies after leaving the service or the FPS 1992, the children would be entitled to a similar percentage, in similar proportions, of the pension in payment (or a deferred pension not yet in payment).

A child is eligible to receive a pension if below age 18, or below age 23 and in full-time education.

Eligibility ceases on marriage, civil partnership or upon ceasing full-time education and entering remunerated employment, if earlier. A child who is permanently disabled and dependent on the firefighter at the date of death may be entitled to receive a pension for life.

In the event of the death of a Scheme member (whether before or after retirement) provided they had at least 3 months' qualifying service, a pension will be paid to an eligible child.

The Scheme member's active, deferred or retirement account would be closed and a pension account would be established for the child.

A "child" in relation to a deceased member means:

• a natural child, stepchild or adopted child of the member; or
• the natural child, step-child or adopted child of the member's spouse, civil partner or cohabiting partner; or
• any natural child of the member who was born after the member's death and with whom the child's mother was pregnant at the date of the death.

The child is an "eligible child" if:

• financially dependent on the deceased member at the date of the deceased member's death (or, in the case of (c) above, would have been if born before the death);
• not married or in a civil partnership; and
• the child satisfies any of the following conditions:
• they are under age 18, or
  • they are in full-time education or on a course of at least one year's duration and have not reached the age of 23, or
  • they were dependent on the member, because of permanent incapacity of mind or body, at the date of the member's death.

Following the death of an active member, an eligible child or eligible children would be entitled to a "specified proportion" of the pension which the member would be entitled to draw if, at the date of death, they had retired on the grounds of ill-health with a higher tier ill-health pension.

Following the death of a deferred member, an eligible child or children would be entitled to a "specified proportion" of the amount of pension in the member's deferred account plus half of any added pension in the member's added pension account.

Following the death of a pensioner member, an eligible child or children would be entitled to a "specified proportion" of the rate of pension payable to the member immediately before the death (this would be the pension after any commutation or allocation but before any reduction made for early retirement.) The "specified proportion" would be as follows:

• if there is one eligible child it is one quarter of the pension mentioned above
• if there is more than one eligible child it is one half of the pension mentioned above, divided between the children equally; if one of the children ceases to be an "eligible child" the half pension would be reapportioned between the others.

If, at the date of death, the member's benefits had been reduced because of a pension sharing order the specified portion would be based on the member's pension as if the reduction had not been made.

Sometimes there may be an eligible child or eligible children, but no person entitled to a surviving partner's pension. In these circumstances the pension that would have been paid to the surviving partner ("Pensions for Surviving Partners") will be paid to an eligible child, or apportioned between eligible children and paid in addition to their eligible child's pension.

If you were to die in service as an active member of FPS 2015, a lump sum death benefit would be payable. This would be a lump sum equivalent to three times your final pay as at the date of death.

Final pay is normally the greater of the following:

• the amount of the member's pensionable pay and assumed pensionable pay during their last 365 days of continuous pensionable service, or
• the amount of the member's pensionable pay and assumed pensionable pay during their last 3 years of pensionable service, divided by three.
• If a continuous period of service includes 29th February, "366" is substituted for "365".
• Also, provisions are made for arriving at a figure of "annualised" final pay if the continuous period of pensionable service is less than 365 days.

If you have more than one active member's account, a lump sum death benefit is payable in respect of each of those accounts.

If you were to die within 5 years of your pension coming into payment, there would be a lump sum death benefit equivalent to the difference between five times the annual amount of pension and the amount of instalments of pension paid.

If you were both an active member and a pensioner member at the date of death, the amount of lump sum death benefit payable would be the greater of that which would be paid in respect of the active membership or of the pensioner membership.

You can nominate any person or organisation you wish to receive your death grant.

It is at the absolute discretion of your FRA who to pay the lump sum death benefit to however.

You can download a form here.

If a member retired from either FPS 2006 or FPS 2015 and received less that 5 years of pension benefits then a 'balance of pension' can be paid as a death grant to the nominated beneficiary.

If a member has only FPS 1992 membership then there is no death grant payable from the scheme.