How long is too long for a spouses pension to go into payment?

AP3

My wife recently passed away, and I am due to receive a spouses pension from her DB scheme. There is also life assurance/death benefit payable.

So far I've been dealing with her employer, rather than the directly with the pension administrator, who are Aptia.

I sent all the documents they said they needed through on the 3rd March 2025. Death cert, will, probate etc.

The only information of any benefit that I've received since, is that the trustees have approved the life assurance/death benefit payment, and it has been passed to the insurer.

I don't really want to hassle the employer, as I appreciate they have full time jobs on top of dealing with this for me, but I also want to ensure that if I need to complain under an IDRP, I do this sooner rather than later, as that process in itself can take a couple of months.

My questions are, how long should I reasonably be waiting for the lump sum and pension to be into payment, and at what point would it be reasonable to open a complaint?

DE_612183

Civil service can be a few months I think - if that's anything to go by...

Hoenir

Given the timeframe seems that matters have progressed well so far ( with 3 parties involved).  Far too early to be complaining about any of them. 

dunstonh

So far I've been dealing with her employer, rather than the directly with the pension administrator, who are Aptia.

That will add delays as you have introduced an additional layer.  i.e. how long does it sit on their desk before they send it to the administrators?

My questions are, how long should I reasonably be waiting for the lump sum and pension to be into payment, and at what point would it be reasonable to open a complaint?

The process can take a month to a year depending on the circumstances.  e.g. if there are other family members that the administrators need to contact to see if they have a claim on the pension etc.

p00hsticks

I'm sorry for your loss. 
My experience after my late father died last year is that it took about six weeks after notification for my mother to start receiving the spouses private pension, and about three months before she got an inherited increase in her state pension (both were backdated to the date of death). 

AP3

dunstonh said:

So far I've been dealing with her employer, rather than the directly with the pension administrator, who are Aptia.

That will add delays as you have introduced an additional layer.  i.e. how long does it sit on their desk before they send it to the administrators?

My questions are, how long should I reasonably be waiting for the lump sum and pension to be into payment, and at what point would it be reasonable to open a complaint?

The process can take a month to a year depending on the circumstances.  e.g. if there are other family members that the administrators need to contact to see if they have a claim on the pension etc.

One of the people at the employer is a trustee of the pension, so I'd like to think she'd be all over it. I am the named beneficiary and that hasn't been questioned...