Provided that you had completed 2 years’ Qualifying Service at the time you ceased active membership of the Scheme, your spouse will become eligible to a pension from the Scheme as follows:

Spouse’s/ Civil Partner's Pension

Provided the marriage of a spouse or the registration of the civil partnership took place prior to the Member leaving Pensionable Service then a spouse's/civil partners pension is payable. If the marriage/registration took place after the date the Member left the Scheme, please see ‘Post Leaving Marriages/Registrations’ below.

On the death of a Pensioner of the Open Fund (Old Section) the spouse/civil partner receives a percentage of the Member’s pension at date of retirement (before any reduction in pension for tax-free lump sum at retirement, if taken) plus increases since date of retirement. This percentage is as follows:

• 52.5% for members who commenced pension on or before 1 April 1999;
• 50% for members who commenced pension on or after 2 April 1999;
• 37.5% for members who retire under the ill-health/disability provisions of the Scheme after having joined the Scheme:
  • on or after 1 July 2005; or
  • as a Late Entrant after 1 October 2004.

Post Leaving Marriages/Registrations

The Scheme also recognises post-leaving marriages/registrations, however there are qualifying conditions that affect payment, or the value, of a spouse’s pension:

1. To be eligible for a pension the marriage/registration MUST have taken place a minimum of 1 YEAR prior to the death of the Pensioner.
2. If the spouse or civil partner of the post leaving marriage/registration is eligible and is MORE THAN 5 YEARS younger than the Pensioner, then there is a reduction in the spouse's benefit on a sliding scale.

Children’s Pensions

Whether or not you are a married member, your children may also be entitled to receive a pension.

To qualify your children must be:

• under age 16

or

• aged 16 or over and in approved full-time education.

Children’s pensions must stop at the attainment of age 23.

The amount of the children’s pension is worked as a fraction of your pension as follows: -

No. of eligible Children Whilst spouse’s pension payable Where no spouse’s pension payable

Lump Sum Death Benefit

If you die within 5 years of retirement, a lump sum will be paid to your beneficiaries equal to the pension payments you would have received in the remainder of the 5-year period.

This is calculated as follows:

• 60 months less the number of monthly instalments actually paid to date of death

times

• the gross monthly pension in payment at date of death.

This payment is made in addition to any spouse’s/civil partner’s/children’s pension that may be payable.

In the Library you can print a blank Nomination Form that you can complete and return to the Funds’ Office. In the event of your death within 5 years of retirement and a lump sum death benefit becoming payable the Trustees can use your completed Nomination Form to help them decide who should be the beneficiary(ies) of the lump sum.