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One of the most important and valued benefits of being a member of the EAPF is that your loved ones are covered financially in the event of your death. The Scheme provides valuable protection for your dependants, whether you die before or after you retire.

The EAPF has the discretion to pay a death grant lump sum to your nominee. Your chosen nominee can be anyone - a relative, friend or even a charity. It can also be split multiple ways, as long as you record the percentage against each nominee and this adds up to 100%. If any part of the death grant has not been paid by the second anniversary of your death, it must be paid to the personal representatives of your estate.

How to make a nomination

The easiest way to do this is via EAPF Online, your personal pension portal by selecting ‘My Nomination’ once logged in at portal.eapf.org.uk

To register for your EAPF Online account, you need your National Insurance number and personal details. Once you’ve registered online and made a nomination, you can see who is currently nominated, and update or delete your nominations when it suits you!

If you can’t do this online, you can also download a paper ‘Expression of wish’ form or contact us to request a form using the details on our Contact us page.

How much could be paid as death grant lump sum?

The amount payable depends on whether you’re a Contributing, Deferred, Pensioner or a Pension Credit member. Click below to see how much could be paid.

Contributing member

If you die in service as a contributing member of the EAPF, a lump sum death grant of 3 times your assumed pensionable pay at your date of death is paid, no matter how long you have been a member of the LGPS, provided you’re under age 75 at the date of death.

If you pay Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) arranged through the LGPS (in-house AVCs), the value of your AVC fund is also payable, as is any extra life cover.

However, if you die in service as a contributing member of the EAPF, and:

  • You were in receipt of an LGPS pension at your date of death, and/or
  • You hold deferred LGPS pension rights at your date of death

Then a death grant lump sum, based on the higher of the following amounts at your date of death, is payable:

  • 3 times your assumed pensionable pay, or
  • The total value of any death grant lump sum payments due in respect of your LGPS deferred/pensioner benefits
Deferred member

If you stopped contributing:

  • Before 1 April 2008 - A lump sum death grant of 3 times your deferred annual pension will be payable.
  • After 31 March 2008 - A lump sum death grant of 5 times your deferred annual pension will be payable.

If you have a deferred benefit and/or a pension in payment from a previous period of LGPS membership, the lump sum death grant will be the total of any lump sum death grants payable in respect of those deferred benefits and pensions in payment.

However, if you died as a deferred member of the EAPF, and:

  • You were in receipt of an LGPS pension at your date of death, and/or
  • You were a contributing member of the LGPS at your date of death

Then a death grant lump sum, based on the higher of the following amounts at your date of death, is payable:

  • 3 times your assumed pensionable pay (only applies if you were contributing member of the LGPS at your date of death), or
  • The total value of any death grant lump sum payments due in respect of your LGPS deferred/pensioner benefits
Pensioner member

A lump sum death grant will be paid if, when you die, less than 10 years pension has been paid (usually less than 5 years if you left contributory membership before 1 April 2008) and you’re under age 75 at your date of death.

If you die on or after age 75, no death grant lump sum can be paid.

The way your death grant is valued is based on when you left the Scheme. The table below shows you which death grant is payable if you die whilst in receipt of your pension.

Date of leaving Lump sum payable
After 31 March 2014 10 times your pension at the date of your death less any pension and lump sum already paid. This is only payable if you die within 10 years of retiring.
Between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2014 10 times your pension at the date of your death less any pension you've already been paid. This is only payable if you die within 10 years of retiring.
Between 1 April 1998 and 31 March 2008 5 times your pension at the date of your death less any pension you've already been paid. This is only payable if you die within 5 years of retiring.
Before 1 April 1998 The amount payable depends on your length of membership and the pension and lump sum you've already received. Contact Capita for more details.

However, if you died whilst in receipt of your EAPF pension, and:

  • You hold deferred LGPS pension rights at your date of death, and/or
  • You were a contributing member of the LGPS at your date of death

Then a death grant lump sum, based on the higher of the following amounts at your date of death, is payable:

  • 3 times your assumed pensionable pay (only applies if you were a contributing member of the LGPS at your date of death), or
  • The total value of any death grant lump sum payments due in respect of your LGPS deferred/pensioner benefits
Pension Credit member

If you were awarded pension rights under the EAPF following a divorce or dissolution of civil partnership, these rights are known as a ‘Pension Credit’; members who hold these rights are known as ‘Pension Credit Members’.

If you’re entitled to a Pension Credit, a death grant lump sum is payable under the following circumstances:

  • If you die before your Pension Credit becomes payable – a death grant lump sum, equal to 3 times the total pension value at the date of your death
  • If you die after your Pension Credit becomes payable – a death grant lump sum, equal to 5 times the total pension value at the date of your death*, less any pension you’ve already been paid.

*However, if your pension credit was deemed to have been awarded to you:

  • Before 1 April 2014, or your ex-spouse left contributing membership of the EAPF before 1 April 2014 – a death grant lump sum would not be paid if you died after age 70.
  • After 31 March 2014 AND your ex-spouse didn’t leave contributing membership of EAPF the before 1 April 2014 – a death grant lump sum would not be paid if you died after age 75.
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