Losing a loved one is incredibly difficult, and understanding how pensions are affected can help ease financial concerns.
Bereavement Support Payment
If your spouse or civil partner has passed away, you may be eligible for Bereavement Support Payment (BSP). To qualify, your partner must have paid National Insurance contributions for at least 25 weeks in any single tax year since 1975. You must have been under State Pension age at the time of their passing.
State Pension entitlement
If your partner has passed away, you may be able to inherit extra pension payments from their State Pension. The amount you receive depends on whether you reached State Pension age before or after 6 April 2016. If you remarry or enter a new civil partnership before reaching State Pension age, you may lose entitlement to inherited pension benefits. You can find out more about this here: Your benefits, tax and pension after the death of a partner: Pensions - GOV.UK.
Private and workplace pensions
Many pensions offer spousal benefits, meaning you may receive payments from your partner’s pension.
Most of our pensions will continue to a spouse or civil partner, but not all. If you are unsure if you will continue to receive a pension from us, just speak to us and we can help.
Contact each pension provider to check if you’re entitled to survivor benefits or lump sum payouts.
