Report a death
This page covers how to report a death and sort out the Scheme death benefits – but we’ve also provided more general information on what to do when someone dies, plus bereavement support resources.
When a Scheme member dies, there will be a person who takes charge of the deceased member’s financial affairs. This may be, for example, a family member or a family friend, or a solicitor. This person is called the Legal Personal Representative (LPR), sometimes just called the Personal Representative (PR).
The member may have left a Will, which is a legal document that specifies how a person’s assets, or estate, should be distributed after their death. However, benefits payable from the Cadent Gas Pension Scheme are completely separate and independent from the estate, and any Will does not therefore direct how any Scheme benefits are paid, although the Will may provide the Trustee with useful background information on potential beneficiaries of any lump sum payable on death.
If the member also completed a Letter of Intent (also called an Expression of Wish, or a Nomination Form) with Aptia, the Scheme Trustee will use this to help decide on which potential beneficiaries might receive any lump sum payable on death.
If you are a deferred member or a pensioner (not a dependant pensioner) whose pension has been in payment for less than 5 years, then you are encouraged to provide Aptia with a Letter of Intent and review this regularly. You can see who you’ve nominated as your beneficiaries and amend your nominations by logging into OneView or by contacting Aptia.
Report the death to the Scheme Administrator
To report the death of a member of the pension scheme, you’ll need to inform the Scheme Administrator, Aptia.
You can do this by either:
- Calling the dedicated Helpline for Cadent Gas Pension Scheme members on 0345 528 0601 (9am-5pm, Monday to Friday).
- Going to the Aptia Pensions portal.
You’ll need to provide Aptia with the following details about the deceased:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Date of death
- Address
- Pensioner number (if known)
- Spouse’s/civil partner’s name and address.
They’ll also need your name, address and relationship to the member.
What happens next?
Once Aptia has been informed of the death, they’ll write to you (or the next of kin) with details of the next steps.
They may need to see a copy of the death certificate at some point – and they’ll let you know if this is needed. You may also need to provide a marriage certificate if you’re due a dependant’s pension (original or certified copies), as well as the dependant’s birth certificate. You can upload scanned copies of these documents to the Aptia online portal.
When Aptia has verified the death of the member, they will stop any existing pension payments being made to the deceased. They’ll also contact any dependants or beneficiaries with their options and the relevant forms to arrange any death benefits that are due. If there has been an overpayment, Aptia will ask for the money back from the estate.
Other steps you’ll need to take
The Government has a ‘Tell Us Once’ service to report a death to most government organisations in one go. To find out more about registering a death and the Tell Us Once service, visit the Government’s website.
You may also want to visit the MoneyHelper website for information on how to manage finances when someone passes away. MoneyHelper is an impartial, free service set up by the government to provide guidance and support on a range of money issues.
There are various organisations and charities that you can turn to for support with grief. It’s worth taking a look online to see what’s available. There’s also NHS advice on dealing with bereavement, grief, and loss.
Read the NHS guidance