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For members of the Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales

What death grant is paid if I die when I am still paying into the LGPS?

This news article was published on 30 Nov 2021

If you die when you are paying into the LGPS, a lump sum death grant of three times your annual pay is paid. It does not matter how long you have been a member of the LGPS, you are protected from the day you join the Scheme.

If you also have a deferred benefit and/or a pension in payment from a previous period of membership of the LGPS, the lump sum death grant paid is the greater of:

  • the total of any lump sum death grants payable from the deferred benefit and/or pensions in payment
  • three times your annual pay at the date you die

The annual pay used to work out the death grant is based on Assumed Pensionable Pay. If an independent registered medical practitioner certifies that you were working reduced contractual hours because of the ill health which led to your death during the period used to work out Assumed Pensionable Pay, the amount will increase. The Assumed Pensionable Pay is instead the pay you would have received if you had not been working reduced contractual hours.

If you pay Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) arranged through the LGPS, the value of your AVC fund is also payable.


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