Benefits for your dependants
Here is some further information about which of your dependants will be eligible to receive benefits on your death and about how these benefits will be calculated.
Eligible husbands and wives
Your husband or wife is automatically eligible for benefits on your death if you married before your pensionable service ended. If you married your husband or wife after your pensionable service ended, benefits will not be payable until you have been married for six months.
Allowing for age difference
If your husband or wife is more than ten years younger than you, the pension payable will be reduced, since it is likely to be paid for a longer period. The pension will be reduced by 1.5% for each year of age difference above ten years.
Increasing pension for your husband or wife
When you retire, you can choose to start with a smaller pension yourself and increase the amount payable to your husband or wife after you die (up to two-thirds of your pension). Let the Pensions Team know nearer the time if you are considering doing this and we will go through the details with you.
Civil partners
Civil partners are entitled to the same benefits as a husband or wife.
Pensions for other dependants
If you do not leave a husband, wife or civil partner, the Trustees may agree to provide benefits to another dependant who relied on you financially or on your joint income, or because of disability. It is important you let the Trustees know if you want them to consider someone like this. Contact the Unilever Pensions Team for the relevant form.
You can also apply for another dependant to receive a pension in addition to your husband, wife and civil partner. If the Trustees agree to this, the husband’s, wife’s or civil partner’s pension would be reduced to take account of the amount payable to the dependant.
Working out children’s pensions
Children’s pensions are worked out as a percentage of your pension, which depends on whether or not a pension is also payable to your husband, wife, civil partner or other adult dependant, and how many children are entitled to receive benefits. The table shows the total children’s pension payable in each situation (as a percentage of your pension):
| Number of children | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 or more |
| If a husband, wife, civil partner or other adult dependant is also receiving a pension | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% |
| If no other pension is paid | 30% | 45% | 60% | 75% |
A child’s pension stops when the child reaches age 18, or 23 if they are still in full-time education. If a child is severely disabled, the Trustees can decide to pay them a pension for life.
Your nomination form
It is important that you fill in a Nomination form to guide the Trustees about who should receive the cash sum benefit if you die in pensionable service. The form has two sections.
-
Section A – please fill in here the names of
close family only. The Trustees will automatically
follow your instructions in this section, unless:
- the person you have nominated dies before you, or less than 28 days after you;
- you were single or not in a civil partnership when you made the nomination and have married or entered a civil partnership since (unless you have told us that your new status should not affect your nomination); or
- your nomination only covers part of the cash sum.
- Section B – you can name anyone in this section. The Trustees do not have to follow your instructions in this section, but they will take them into account.
If your nomination in Section A does not apply, the Trustees will decide how to pay the cash sum.
Please note: although the Trustees would normally expect to follow your wishes in Section B, they are not legally obliged to do so if Section A does not apply.
Please remember to keep your nomination form up to date. If your personal situation changes, you may need to fill in a new form. You can download a Nomination form or contact the Unilever Pensions Team to request one.