Scheme benefits - Death benefits
Dependant’s pension
If you have a spouse or a civil partner, a dependant’s pension would be payable for the rest of their life from the day following your death. Benefits would also be payable to eligible children.
Children includes stepchildren and adopted children. All children must be under age 18, or under age 21 if they are in full-time education or vocational training. The Trustee has the discretion to pay benefits to children up to the age of 23 if they remain in full-time education. If the Scheme’s medical adviser confirms that a child can’t support themselves financially due to illness or incapacity, the Trustee can use its discretion to pay benefits for the rest of the child's life.
The process
- 1.
People Services notifies Mercer when a member dies.
- 2.
The team will send a letter to the member’s next of kin within two working days of notification.
Lump sum+
- 3.
We’ll send your next of kin a questionnaire asking for information about potential beneficiaries.
- 4.
Your next of kin sends back the relevant information.
- 5.
We share this with the Trustee.
- 6.
The Trustee decides who the tax-free death lump sum should be paid to.
- 7.
Your beneficiaries will be notified and the payment made.
Dependant's pension+
- 3.
If you're married we’ll ask for additional details to set up a dependant’s pension; and pensions for any eligible children:
- Death certificate (photocopy)
- Birth and marriage certificates (originals or certified copies)
- Bank form.
- 4.
We then arrange the pension from the next available pay date, which is the 15th of each month.
