Death in retirement

Your eligible husband or wife will receive a pension of half your pension at the date you died (ignoring any reduction from retiring early or taking a cash sum). Eligible children – who must be aged less than 18 (or 23 if they are in full-time education) – will also receive pensions.

If you die within five years of retiring, the balance of your pension for the rest of that five-year period – based on the monthly rate of pension you are receiving at the date of your death – will be payable as a cash sum (currently tax free).

For more information about which of your dependants will be eligible to receive benefits on your death and about how these benefits will be calculated, refer to Benefits for your dependants.