Workplace Pension in Death

DickyRobbo44

Hello,

My father died before he retired. He had quite a lengthy pension payment from working at the MEB for 25+ years. He was married when he died but his spouse, died 8 months or so before he did.

Is it worth trying to track down this pension pot as his only dependant? Would I be entitieled to any of it? Its bad enough he wasn't even able to retire but to add into the fact all his years of hard work are just absorbed somewhere else makes it worse.

Silvertabby

Was this a DB (final salary)  pension?  If yes, then your father didn't have a 'pot' - he had a pension entitlement iaw the scheme rules.

When did he die?  As he was widowed, and if there were no eligible children, then there wouldn't have been any survivors pensions due.

However, as he died before starting to draw his pension, there may have been a one-off lump sum due to his nominated beneficiary(ies).  But if this was the case, then it would have been dealt with when you notified the Scheme of your father's death.

penners324

Contact the pension scheme and find out.

Brie

Eligible children (as suggested by SilverTabby) are likely to need to be under 25 and still in education to get an "orphan's pension".  It is possible that dad might have changed the beneficiary of his pension after mom died but not all pensions will pay out to anyone other than a spouse.  

The most likely is the lumpsum which would be a life assurance attached to the pension that would be paid out no matter what.  Most schemes I've seen have it as a multiple of their salary at the time of death so 4x£30k or something similar. 

But yes - talk to the employer as a first step and then the pension administrators. 

btw - what's MEB?  Sounds like a big organisation in which case there's likely to be an employee support programme that might extend to family.  And a union to help sort things if stuff becomes a challenge.

And sorry for your loss.

Robin9

Brie said:

But yes - talk to the employer as a first step and then the pension administrators. 

btw - what's MEB?  Sounds like a big organisation in which case there's likely to be an employee support programme that might extend to family.  And a union to help sort things if stuff becomes a challenge.

Was Midlands Electricity Board -   now Western Power. Pensions are administered through National Grid


 @DickyRobbo44  - you will need his payroll number - probably payslips are on an email

National Grid
Payroll and Pensions
Elliott Road
Plymouth
PL4 0SD

01752 502264

nged.pensions@nationalgrid.co.uk

Marcon

Brie said:

Eligible children (as suggested by SilverTabby) are likely to need to be under 25 and still in education to get an "orphan's pension".  It is possible that dad might have changed the beneficiary of his pension after mom died but not all pensions will pay out to anyone other than a spouse.  

If it's a DB pension, the rules will stipulate who the beneficiaries are.

Brie said:

The most likely is the lumpsum which would be a life assurance attached to the pension that would be paid out no matter what.  Most schemes I've seen have it as a multiple of their salary at the time of death so 4x£30k or something similar. 

Death in service lump sums (which is what you're describing) are, as the name suggests, only payable if someone was still working for the employer in question at the time of their death.

The reference to "MEB" suggests OP's father may have left some time ago, before MEB changed its name. OP - if that's the case, it's worth talking to your father's current employer to see what pension/death in service benefits he might have had from his most recent employment.

brainjohncena

I'm sorry for your loss. It's worth exploring the possibility of tracking down your father's pension pot as his only dependent. You may be entitled to some of it, especially if your father didn't designate another beneficiary. Consulting with a legal or financial advisor specializing in pensions can provide clarity on your entitlements and the process of accessing the pension.

Albermarle

brainjohncena said:

I'm sorry for your loss. It's worth exploring the possibility of tracking down your father's pension pot as his only dependent. You may be entitled to some of it, especially if your father didn't designate another beneficiary. Consulting with a legal or financial advisor specializing in pensions can provide clarity on your entitlements and the process of accessing the pension.

Hmm new poster advising to pay for a legal or financial advisor, which so far no other poster has even hinted at .......