The Health and Social Care (Pension Scheme) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

Pensions for surviving adultsN.I.

Surviving adult dependants' pensionsN.I.

67.—(1) If an active member[F1, a non-contributing member] , a deferred member or a pensioner member dies leaving a surviving adult dependant, the surviving adult dependant is entitled to a pension that is payable for life at the rate payable under regulations 69 to 73 and, in any case where that pension includes additional pension, regulations 40(4) and 42(3).

(2) In this Part “surviving adult dependant”, in relation to a deceased member or former member, means the member's or former member's surviving spouse, civil partner or [F2scheme partner] .

[F3Meaning of “surviving scheme partner”N.I.

68.  In this Part, a person (P) is a “surviving scheme partner” if the Department is satisfied that for a continuous period of at least two years, ending with the member’s death—

(a)the member and P were living together as if they were husband and wife or civil partners,

(b)the member and P were not prevented from marrying or entering into a civil partnership,

(c)the member and P were financially interdependent or P was financially dependent on the member, and

(d)neither the member nor P were living with a third person as if they were husband and wife or as if they were civil partners.]

Amount of pensions under regulation 67: active [F4and non-contributing] membersN.I.

69.—[F5(1) In the case of an active member or a non-contributing member, for the period of 6 months beginning with the day after the member’s death (“the initial period”) the rate of the pension payable under regulation 67 (if that amount is greater than the amount of the pension payable to the surviving adult under this Chapter apart from this paragraph), is equal to—

(a)in the case of a deceased active member, the rate of the member’s pensionable pay at the time of death;

(b)in the case of a deceased non-contributing member, the rate of the deceased’s reckonable pay.]

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), after the initial period, if the member dies with 2 or more years of qualifying service, the annual amount of the pension payable under regulation 67—

(a)if the member has not reached the age of 65, is equal to 37.5% of the tier 2 ill-health pension under regulation 52 to which the member would have been entitled if on the date of death the member had become entitled to such a pension, and

(b)if the member has reached the age of 65, is equal to 37.5% of the pension under regulation 45 (normal retirement pensions) to which the member would have been entitled if on the date of death the member had become entitled to such a pension in respect of any period of pensionable service that the member is entitled to count.

[F6Sub-paragraph (b) is subject to paragraph (7).]

(3) After the initial period, if the member dies with less than 2 years of qualifying service but after reaching the age of 65, the annual amount of the pension payable under regulation 67 is equal to 37.5% of the pension to which the member would have been entitled (disregarding any additional pension) if on the date of death the member had become entitled to a pension under regulation 45 (normal retirement pensions) in respect of any period of pensionable service that the member is entitled to count.

[F7This is subject to paragraph (7).]

(4) After the initial period, if—

(a)the member dies with less than 2 year's qualifying service and before reaching the age of 65, and

(b)the surviving adult has a guaranteed minimum under section 13 of the 1993 Act in relation to benefits in respect of the deceased member under [F8this Section of] the Scheme,

the annual amount of the pension payable under regulation 67 is equal to that guaranteed minimum, unless paragraph (5) applies.

(5) This paragraph applies if the Department's liability to provide a guaranteed minimum pension in respect of the surviving adult is discharged by the payment of a contributions equivalent premium under section 51(2) of the 1993 Act.

(6) This regulation is subject to regulation 73 (re-employed pensioners).

[F9(7) For the purposes of paragraphs (2)(b) and (3) any increase under—

(a)regulation 47; or

(b)regulation 136U,

is ignored.]

Amount of pensions under regulation 67: pensioner membersN.I.

70.—(1) In the case of a pensioner member, for the initial period the rate of the pension payable under regulation 67 is equal to the rate of the member's pension in payment at the time of death if that amount is greater than the sum of—

(a)the amount of the pension payable to the surviving adult dependant under this Chapter apart from this paragraph, and

(b)the amount of the children's pensions otherwise payable under this Part.

(2) At any time when the rate is not the rate mentioned in paragraph (1), the rate of the surviving adult dependant's pension in the case of the death of a pensioner member is equal to 37.5% of the pension to which the member was entitled on the date of death (disregarding any additional pension).

[F10(3) For the purposes of paragraph (1) any reduction in the rate of the member’s pension under—

(a)Chapter 8 of this Part;

(b)regulation 58; or

(c)regulation 136L,

is ignored.

(3A) For the purpose of paragraph (2)—

(a)any reduction in the rate of the member’s pension under—

(i)regulation 48,

(ii)regulation 58, or

(iii)regulation 136L; and

(b)any increase in the rate of the member’s pension under—

(i)regulation 47, or

(ii)regulation 136U,

is ignored.]

(4) In this regulation “the initial period” means—

(a)if the member leaves one or more dependent children who are dependant on the surviving adult dependant, the period of 6 months beginning with the day after the member's death, and

(b)otherwise the period of 3 months beginning with that day.

(5) For the purposes of paragraph (4) a child born after the member's death is treated as having been born before it.

(6) If a member who has had a tier 2 ill-health retirement pension under regulation 52 replaced by a tier 1 ill-health retirement pension (by virtue of regulation 112(2))—

(a)is in further HSC employment and dies before the end of the initial period (within the meaning of regulation 112(6)(c) and in accordance with regulation 112(2)), or

(b)is in further employment that is not HSC employment and dies within a period of one year beginning with the day on which that further employment ceased to be an “excluded employment” (within the meaning of regulation 112(6)(a)),

the member's pension referred to in paragraph (1) means that member's original tier 2 ill-health pension.

(7) This regulation is subject to regulation 73 (re-employed pensioners: adult survivor pensions in initial period).

F11(8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Amount of pensions under regulation 67: deferred membersN.I.

71.—(1) In the case of a deferred member—

(a)who left pensionable service less than 12 months before the date of death, and

(b)whose surviving adult dependant would have been the member's surviving adult dependant if the member had died on the member's last day of pensionable service,

the rate of the pension payable under regulation 67 is equal to 37.5% of the tier 2 ill-health pension under regulation 52 to which the member would have been entitled if on the date the member's pensionable service ceased the member had become entitled to such a pension under regulation 52 (but disregarding any additional pension).

(2) In the case of any other deferred member F12..., the rate of the pension payable under regulation 67 is equal to 37.5% of the pension under regulation 45(normal retirement pensions) in respect of any period of pensionable service to which the member would have been entitled if on the date of death the member had become entitled to such a pension.

Recent leaversN.I.

72.—(1) If—

(a)a recent leaver dies leaving a surviving spouse or civil partner who has a guaranteed minimum under section 13 of the 1993 Act in relation to benefits in respect of the recent leaver under [F13this Section of] the Scheme, and

(b)the member has died before reaching the age of 65,

the surviving spouse or civil partner is entitled to a pension that is payable for life of an amount equal to that person's guaranteed minimum pension (disregarding any additional pension), unless paragraph (2) applies.

(2) This paragraph applies if the Department's liability to provide a guaranteed minimum pension in respect of the surviving adult is discharged by the payment of a contributions equivalent premium under section 51(2) of the 1993 Act.

(3) In this Part “recent leaver” means a person—

(a)who left pensionable service less than 12 months before the date of death,

(b)who is not a deferred member or a pensioner member because of rights resulting from that employment, and

(c)in respect of whom no transfer value or refund of contributions has been paid in respect of that employment.

Re-employed pensioners: adult survivor pensions in initial periodN.I.

73.—(1) This regulation applies if, apart from this regulation, both regulations 69(1) and 70(1) would apply on the death of a member.

(2) Where this regulation applies, the rate of pension payable by virtue of regulations 69(1) and 70(1) during the initial period (as defined in the respective regulations) shall instead be the rate provided in paragraph (3).

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), for the relevant initial period the rate of the pension payable under regulation 67 is equal to the sum of—

[F14(a)in the case of—

(i)a deceased active member, the rate of the deceased’s pensionable pay at the time of death, or

(ii)a deceased non-contributing member, the rate of the deceased’s reckonable pay on the deceased’s last day of pensionable service; and

[F15(b)the rate of the deceased member’s pension payable at the time of death after taking account of any reduction in the rate of pension under—

(i)Chapter 8 of this Part,

(ii)regulation 58, and

(iii)regulation 136L.]]

(4) Paragraph (3)(a) does not apply if—

(a)the rate of the pension payable to the surviving adult in respect of later service, and

(b)any children's pension that would otherwise be payable in respect of later service under this Part,

would be greater.