Death Benefits
If you were to die in service as an active member of the FPS 2015, a lump sum death benefit would be payable. This would be a lump sum equivalent to 3 times your final pay as at the date of death. Your Final pay is normally the greater of:
- the amount of the member's pensionable pay and assumed pensionable pay during their last 365 days of continuous pensionable service; or
- the amount of the member's pensionable pay and assumed pensionable pay during their last 3 years of pensionable service, divided by three.
If you have more than one active pension account, a lump sum death benefit is payable in respect of each of those accounts.
If you were to die within 5 years of your pension coming into payment, there would be a lump sum death benefit equivalent to the difference between 5 times the annual amount of pension and the amount of pension already paid i.e. a 5 year balance.
Please Note
If you were both an active member and a pensioner member at the date of death, the amount of lump sum death benefit payable would be the greater of that which would be paid in respect of the active membership or of the pensioner membership.
The Fire & Rescue Service (FRS) may, at its absolute discretion, pay the lump sum death benefit to or for the member's nominee, personal representatives, or any other person appearing to the FRS to have been a relative or dependant of the Scheme member.