The Local Government (Early Termination of Employment) (Discretionary Compensation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003

Awards to surviving spouses

20.—(1) This regulation applies where, on the death of a person who has been awarded a credited period, there is a surviving spouse –

(a) who is entitled to receive a pension under regulations 42 to 45 (surviving spouses' pensions) of the Pension Regulations in respect of the deceased’s terminated employment; or

(b) who would be so entitled apart from –

(i) a relevant disqualification with respect to the deceased (and on the relevant assumptions); or

(ii) the transfer of benefits to another pension scheme.

(2) This regulation also applies where the deceased is survived by more than one spouse if both, or all, of them are, or but for the matters mentioned in paragraph (1)(b) would be, jointly entitled to receive such a pension as is mentioned in paragraph (1)(a); and in such a case references in the following paragraphs (in whatever terms) to an entitlement of the surviving spouse are references to the joint entitlement of the surviving spouses.

(3) Where this regulation applies, the surviving spouse is entitled to receive –

(a) surviving spouse’s short-term compensation –

(i) for six months after the date of the death if the surviving spouse cares for one or more eligible children of the deceased;

(ii) otherwise, for three months after that date; and

(b) after that period, surviving spouse’s long-term compensation,

but if the marriage took place after the termination date, the surviving spouse is only entitled to receive compensation under this regulation if the surviving spouse is (or would be apart from the matters mentioned in paragraph (1)(b)), entitled to a surviving spouse’s pension under the Pension Regulations.

(4) Where there is a joint entitlement under this regulation the employing authority may decide how it shall be apportioned.

(5) Subject to paragraphs (6) and (7), the surviving spouse of an eligible person who ceased employment before 1st February 2003 is not entitled to any compensation under this regulation during any subsequent marriage or period of cohabitation outside marriage, and is entitled to long-term compensation from the end of such marriage or period only if the employing authority so decides.

(6) Where a widower and a widow marry each other or cohabit with each other outside marriage and both –

(a) are entitled to short-term or long-term compensation under this regulation; and

(b) are the surviving spouses of eligible persons who ceased employment before 1st February 2003,

only such one of them as they may choose shall be so entitled; and the other shall cease to be so entitled until the end of the marriage or cohabitation.

(7) The employing authority may determine by resolution in any case where the surviving spouse had not, as at 1st February 2003 entered into a subsequent marriage or a period of cohabitation that paragraph (5) or (6), as appropriate, shall not apply.