The Teachers’ Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014

CHAPTER 3 Death grant

SECTION 1 General

Payment of death grant

138.  On the death of a member (D), a death grant is payable as follows—

(a) to D’s death grant beneficiary;

(b) if there is more than one death grant beneficiary, to those beneficiaries in the shares determined in accordance with regulation 133(4) and (5); or

(c) if there is no death grant beneficiary—

(i) to D’s surviving adult; or

(ii) if there is no surviving adult, to D’s personal representatives as part of D’s estate.

SECTION 2 Death in service

Death in service grant

139.—(1) A death grant is payable under this regulation if a member (D) dies in service (“death in service grant”).

(2) A death in service grant is not payable if—

(a) D dies while in pensionable service that is not post-benefit service and a retirement pension other than a phased retirement pension becomes payable before D’s death; or

(b) D dies while in a period of post-benefit service and a retirement pension in respect of that period becomes payable before D’s death.

(3) If D dies while in pensionable service that is not post-benefit service, the amount of the death in service grant is found by—

(a) multiplying D’s annual rate of pensionable earnings as at the date of D’s death by 3; and

(b) deducting the following amounts previously paid to D in respect of pensionable service under this scheme—

(i) any part of a lump sum under regulation 168 not attributable to additional pension;

(ii) any short-service serious ill-health grant.

(4) If D dies while in a period of post-benefit service, the amount of the death in service grant is found by—

(a) multiplying D’s annual rate of pensionable earnings as at the date of D’s death by 3; and

(b) deducting the following amounts previously payable to D under this scheme in respect of both the period of post-benefit service and any previous period of pensionable service—

(i) any lump sum under regulation 168 not attributable to additional pension;

(ii) any short-service serious ill-health grant.

SECTION 3 Death out of service

Death out of service grant

140.—(1) A death grant is payable under this regulation if a member (D) dies out of service (“death out of service grant”).

(2) A death out of service grant is not payable if—

(a) D dies following a period of pensionable service that is not post-benefit service and a retirement pension other than a phased retirement pension becomes payable before D’s death; or

(b) D dies following a period of post-benefit service and a retirement pension other than a phased retirement pension in respect of that period becomes payable before D’s death.

(3) The amount of the death out of service grant for D—

(a) if a surviving adult pension becomes payable on D’s death, is found by—

(i) taking the amount of D’s accrued earned pension as at the date of D’s death;

(ii) multiplying that amount by 2.25; and

(iii) deducting the amounts specified in paragraph (4);

(b) if a surviving adult pension does not become payable on D’s death, but D was qualified for retirement benefits, is the greater of—

(i) the amount calculated under paragraph (3)(a); or

(ii) the total of the amounts specified in paragraph (6).

(4) The amounts to be deducted under paragraph 3(a) are—

(a) if D dies following a period of pensionable service that is not post-benefit service—

(i) any part of a lump sum under regulation 168 not attributable to additional pension; and

(ii) any short-service serious ill-health grant;

(b) if D dies following a period of post-benefit service, any part of a lump sum under regulation 168 in relation to the post-benefit service which is not attributable to additional pension.

(5) If at the date of D’s death D was not qualified for retirement benefits or a short-service serious ill-health grant had not become payable, the amount of the death out of service grant is the total of the amounts specified in paragraph (6).

(6) The amounts are—

(a) all members’ contributions, additional pension contributions, buy-out contributions and faster accrual contributions paid up to the date of D’s death, excluding—

(i) any contributions paid in respect of a pension benefit which has become payable before the application for payment; and

(ii) any contributions paid in respect of any period of pensionable service for which a short-service serious ill-health grant has been paid;

(b) interest on those contributions from the first day of the financial year following that in which they were paid to the date of payment at 3% per year, compounded with yearly rests.

Supplementary death grant payable on death of pensioner member

141.—(1) A death grant is payable under this regulation (“supplementary death grant”) if—

(a) a member (D) dies as a pensioner member; and

(b) AR is greater than AP.

(2) The amount of the death grant is AR-AP, where—

AR is 5 x D’s annual rate of retirement pension payable as at the date of D’s death; and

AP is the total amount of pension which was payable to D up until D’s death.