NHS pension nominated person

garybolton

Hi, I am hoping someone can give me some advice about my girlfriends nhs pension. We were together for approximately 10 years before she died of cancer in January 2024. A couple of months later I received a letter from NHS pensions saying my gf's pension had been left to me and to fill in a form to claim it. However we did not live together as we both had sons of a similar age who had completely different social circles, so we decided we would wait until one of the kids flew the nest, This meant I did not meet the criteria and the pension just seems to have been forfeited. I have been told that pensions can go to a nominated person, in which case there is no criteria apart from them being given my details which they obviously have to contact me in the first place. Can someone please advise what I should do next please

Emmia

garybolton said:

Hi, I am hoping someone can give me some advice about my girlfriends nhs pension. We were together for approximately 10 years before she died of cancer in January 2024. A couple of months later I received a letter from NHS pensions saying my gf's pension had been left to me and to fill in a form to claim it. However we did not live together as we both had sons of a similar age who had completely different social circles, so we decided we would wait until one of the kids flew the nest, This meant I did not meet the criteria and the pension just seems to have been forfeited. I have been told that pensions can go to a nominated person, in which case there is no criteria apart from them being given my details which they obviously have to contact me in the first place. Can someone please advise what I should do next pleas

I don't understand why you didn't claim when sent the form? You were / are the nominated beneficiary.

I also don't understand who "we" is? And what social circles your sons have and whether they've left home seems a bit irrelevant to you claiming the pension or not.

Edi81

Sorry for your loss - grief and dealing with the loss of your GF has obviously overtaken. 

I would send in the forms and take it from there. Often workplace pensions allow you to nominate someone which your GF had the foresight to do. 

Flugelhorn

the pension scheme would have been looking to see if there was someone else who she had been financially supporting or who was dependent on her. If not then I think they go with the wishes of the individual.

how old were her sons?

Southend_2

I think OP means he was not eligible for a spouse pension because he was neither married nor financially dependent on his partner when she was alive. The info about the sons is by way of explaining why they didn't live together.

OP, the criteria to be eligible for a spouse/ dependant pension will be specified in the scheme rules. I expect someone familiar with the NHS pension rules will be along to advise soon.

Keep_pedalling

Southend_2 said:

I think OP means he was not eligible for a spouse pension because he was neither married nor financially dependent on his partner when she was alive. The info about the sons is by way of explaining why they didn't live together.

OP, the criteria to be eligible for a spouse/ dependant pension will be specified in the scheme rules. I expect someone familiar with the NHS pension rules will be along to advise soon.

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/2024-08/Survivors%20Guide%20%28V12A%29%2004.2024.pdf

The OP fails to qualify for a surviving partners pension on two of the 4 criteria that need to be met. They were not living together and not financially interdependent. See page 5.

Marcon

garybolton said:

Hi, I am hoping someone can give me some advice about my girlfriends nhs pension. We were together for approximately 10 years before she died of cancer in January 2024. A couple of months later I received a letter from NHS pensions saying my gf's pension had been left to me and to fill in a form to claim it. However we did not live together as we both had sons of a similar age who had completely different social circles, so we decided we would wait until one of the kids flew the nest, This meant I did not meet the criteria and the pension just seems to have been forfeited. I have been told that pensions can go to a nominated person, in which case there is no criteria apart from them being given my details which they obviously have to contact me in the first place. Can someone please advise what I should do next please

A pension can go to a nominated person but only if that person meets the relevant criteria - if you've been led to believe otherwise, then unfortunately you have been misinformed. Sadly, under the rules of the NHS scheme (see KP's post immediately prior to this one for the link), you don't meet the criteria.

There may be a child's pension payable to your girlfriend's son: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/2021-09/Children%E2%80%99s%20pensions%20factsheet-20210916-%28V5%29.pdf

Marcon

Emmia said:

garybolton said:

Hi, I am hoping someone can give me some advice about my girlfriends nhs pension. We were together for approximately 10 years before she died of cancer in January 2024. A couple of months later I received a letter from NHS pensions saying my gf's pension had been left to me and to fill in a form to claim it. However we did not live together as we both had sons of a similar age who had completely different social circles, so we decided we would wait until one of the kids flew the nest, This meant I did not meet the criteria and the pension just seems to have been forfeited. I have been told that pensions can go to a nominated person, in which case there is no criteria apart from them being given my details which they obviously have to contact me in the first place. Can someone please advise what I should do next pleas

I don't understand why you didn't claim when sent the form? You were / are the nominated beneficiary.

I also don't understand who "we" is? And what social circles your sons have and whether they've left home seems a bit irrelevant to you claiming the pension or not.

OP did claim, but was found to be ineligible. Simply being nominated doesn't mean someone meets the relevant criteria - they have to meet those in addition to being nominated. 

DRS1

Was a lump sum payable on her death?  If the OP was nominated for that wouldn't he qualify?  Nominations/expression of wishes are usually for lump sums not for pensions.

Aretnap

If I read the documents correctly anybody can be nominated as the lump sum beneficiary, and the lump sum will always be paid out - it will be paid into the estate if there is no spouse/partner/nominated person. It would be worth the OP finding out what happened to the lump sum if he doesn't know already. 

The pension OTOH is extinguished on death unless there's a qualifying person to pay it to - spouse, dependant child or partner within the scheme definition. It sounds like the OP doesn't meet the definition of a qualifying person but as Macron says the girlfriend's son might, depending on his age, and financial dependency on her etc.

Flugelhorn

It would be the lump sum that could go to a nominated individual:

"A lump sum on death benefit may be paid if a member dies before retiring or within five years of their retirement. The amount payable where the member dies after retirement will depend on the total amount of retirement benefits they have received from the Scheme up to the date of death. Sometimes the Scheme’s liability may have already been discharged meaning no lump sum is payable, for example if the member exchanged some of their pension to receive a lump sum or bigger lump sum when they retired. The NHS Pension Scheme is not a discretionary scheme. The lump sum on death benefit will be paid to the legal spouse, registered civil partner or qualifying scheme partner unless the member has nominated someone else on the lump sum on death benefit nomination form (DB2). If there is no legal spouse, registered civil partner, qualifying scheme partner or nomination, the lump sum on death benefit will be paid to the member’s Estate. If the lump sum amount is £5,000 or more, sight of a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration will be requested before the lump sum is paid.