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

Who is a death grant paid to?

This news article was published on 15 Dec 2021

Your local pension fund has absolute discretion over who receives any lump sum death grant. This means it can be paid to:

  • the person(s) you name on your expression of wish form
  • your personal representative(s) – this is someone who is responsible for your looking after your estate when you die
  • anyone who appears to have been, at any time, a relative or dependent.

You can let your pension fund know who you would like any death grant paid to by completing an expression of wish form. Your pension fund will take your wishes into account when deciding who the death grant is paid to. Contact your pension fund to ask for a form.

If a death grant is not paid within two years it must be paid to your personal representative(s) and a tax charge may apply.

If you paid AVCs and were a member of the LGPS on or after 1 April 2014, your local pension fund will use its discretion to decide who receives any lump sum due from your AVC pot when you die. If you left the LGPS before 1 April 2014, your local pension fund must pay any lump sum due to your estate.


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