Child Accesses Mothers Pension After Her Death

Silvertabby

OP - how old was your wife, and when/why did she leave the LGPS?  Is it possibly the case that she had been  in receipt of an ill health pension for more than 10 years? 

 That's the only reason I can think of that would explain why someone young enough to have a 13 year old child didn't qualify for a lump sum death benefit in addition to survivor's pensions.

Neutrino22

Lemon_dr1zzle said:

Neutrino22 said:

Silvertabby said:

Or do you mean the lump sum death benefit?

Thanks for your input. There's no lump sum. I'm informed by the council pension team that there is a monthly payment available for myself and my son. There was no option to take a lump sum. I'm not sure why, as I don't understand government workplace pensions.

There will be a death grant payable. 

Thanks.

Do you mean the bereavement grant, either £2,500 or £3,500 lump sum, and a monthly payment of £100 or £350 respectively? Or are you referring to another scheme?

Lemon_dr1zzle

If your wife was active, deferred, pensioner who died within 10 years (some caveat regarding amount of retirement grant taken if applicable) there will be a tax free death grant due in the LGPS. 

Neutrino22

Silvertabby said:

OP - how old was your wife, and when/why did she leave the LGPS?  Is it possibly the case that she had been  in receipt of an ill health pension for more than 10 years? 

 That's the only reason I can think of that would explain why someone young enough to have a 13 year old child didn't qualify for a lump sum death benefit in addition to survivor's pensions.

As I currently understand, the lump sum is nullified when the partner who had the pension dies. This seems to be the case for my situation, at least that is what the local pension office seems to imply.

Marcon

Would you like a draft email to send to your local pensions office? I'm happy to post a suggested wording here for SIlvertabby et al to see/comment on (or I can send to her via the website's Private Message system, and then on to you, if you'd sooner do it privately), and you could then send that in the hope it will clarify all matters.

It would be helpful to know if your wife:

1. was employed by the council (and contributing to the pension scheme) at the time of her death; or
2. she had already left their employment; and
3. was being paid an ill-health pension from the council at the time she died, and for how long she had been receiving this.

Lemon_dr1zzle

Neutrino22 said:

Silvertabby said:

OP - how old was your wife, and when/why did she leave the LGPS?  Is it possibly the case that she had been  in receipt of an ill health pension for more than 10 years? 

 That's the only reason I can think of that would explain why someone young enough to have a 13 year old child didn't qualify for a lump sum death benefit in addition to survivor's pensions.

As I currently understand, the lump sum is nullified when the partner who had the pension dies. This seems to be the case for my situation, at least that is what the local pension office seems to imply.

Are you getting confused with the retirement grant lump sum? This is completely different to any death grant lump sum which may be paid. 

Silvertabby

Neutrino22 said:

Silvertabby said:

OP - how old was your wife, and when/why did she leave the LGPS?  Is it possibly the case that she had been  in receipt of an ill health pension for more than 10 years? 

 That's the only reason I can think of that would explain why someone young enough to have a 13 year old child didn't qualify for a lump sum death benefit in addition to survivor's pensions.

As I currently understand, the lump sum is nullified when the partner who had the pension dies. This seems to be the case for my situation, at least that is what the local pension office seems to imply.

I think we are at odds over the definition of lump sums.  Certainly in the case of the LGPS (and other public sector pensions:

TFLS (tax free lump sum).  The pensioner member may opt to take a tax free lump sum in addition to their pensions on retirement.  This is a one-off, and is not an option available to subsequent recipients of survivor's pensions.

Lump sum death grant.  This is a one-off tax free payment made to the nominated/eligible beneficiary should the pensioner member die before retirement or within 5/10 years of drawing their pension.

Silvertabby

Neutrino22 said:

Lemon_dr1zzle said:

Neutrino22 said:

Silvertabby said:

Or do you mean the lump sum death benefit?

Thanks for your input. There's no lump sum. I'm informed by the council pension team that there is a monthly payment available for myself and my son. There was no option to take a lump sum. I'm not sure why, as I don't understand government workplace pensions.

There will be a death grant payable. 

Thanks.

Do you mean the bereavement grant, either £2,500 or £3,500 lump sum, and a monthly payment of £100 or £350 respectively? Or are you referring to another scheme?

These figures sound like the DWP bereavement benefits, and are nothing to do with the LGPS.

Your entitlement to a lump sum from the LGPS (in addition to your spouse and childs pensions) depends on your wife's status as a LGPS member.  Specifically, had she been in receipt of a LGPS ill health pension for more than 10 years as at her date of death?

Albermarle

Neutrino22 said:

Albermarle said:

If your son is entitled to benefits due to his special needs, how do you deal with those ?

Albermarle said:

If your son is entitled to benefits due to his special needs, how do you deal with those ?

The disability benefits come into my account. Perhaps an option with the pension is to set up a third party mandate with the bank?

Once the issues highlighted in previous threads are sorted out with the pension company.

You may find some banks are more cooperative than others when opening accounts on behalf of other people. It seems easier if you can actually visit a branch, and talk to someone more knowledgeable, as front line/call centre staff will probably not be trained in the issue.

xylophone

You may find some banks are more cooperative than others when opening accounts on behalf of other people. 

In this particular case, the "other person" is the OP's "special needs" child who is just thirteen years old.

There would be np problem with the OP opening a savings account in trust for his child (see my first post) and I would imagine that it would be possible to open a child bank account.

Once the child is approaching 18 however, the OP may well need  to make certain arrangements - Mencap is a source of information.