Finance Act 2004

[F116C(1)Where a pension is payable under the pension scheme to a dependant of the member, otherwise than in excepted circumstances, in—U.K.

(a)the period of 12 months beginning with the end of the post-death year, or

(b)any succeeding period of 12 months,

(“the 12 months in question”), so much of the pension as exceeds the current member pension limit is not a dependants' scheme pension.

(2)But if—

(a)more than one pension is so payable to one of the dependants in the 12 months in question, or

(b)pensions are so payable to more than one dependant of the member in the 12 months in question,

(or both), so much of any of the pensions as exceeds the appropriate portion of the current member pension limit is not a dependants' scheme pension.

(3)“Excepted circumstances” means—

(a)that at the beginning of the F2... 12 months in question there are at least 50 pensioner members of the pension scheme, and

(b)that the condition in [F3sub-paragraph] (4) is met.

[F4(4)The condition is that if the annual rate of a pension payable under the pension scheme to a dependant of the member is increased at any time in the period of 12 months in question—

(a)the dependant is at that time one of a group of at least 20 pensioner members of the pension scheme, and

(b)all the pensions being paid under the pension scheme to pensioner members of that group are at that time increased at the same rate.]

(6)The “current member pension limit”, in relation to the 12 [F5months] in question, is the initial member pension limit increased by [F6the permitted margin.]

(7)The “permitted margin” is the amount by which the initial member pension limit would be greater if it had been increased by whichever of calculation A and calculation B gives the greater amount.

(8)Calculation A involves increasing the initial member pension limit by the relevant annual percentage rate for the whole of the period—

(a)beginning with the first month beginning after the [F7member's death] (“the opening month”), and

(b)ending with the first month [F8ending after the start] of the 12 months in question (“the closing month”).

(9)The relevant annual percentage rate is—

(a)if the relevant valuation factor in relation to the pension scheme is a number greater than 20, the annual rate agreed by the Inland Revenue and the scheme administrator, and

(b)otherwise, 5% per annum.

(10)Calculation B involves increasing the initial member pension limit by the relevant indexation percentage.

(11)If the retail prices index for the closing month is higher than it was for the [F9month in which the member died], the relevant indexation percentage is the percentage increase in the retail prices index.

(12)If it is not, the relevant indexation percentage is 0%.

F10(13). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F10(14). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(15)The “appropriate portion” of the current member pension limit, in relation to any pension payable under the pension scheme to a dependant of the member in the 12 months in question, is—