If a member of the FPS 2015 dies (before or after retirement), a pension will be paid to an eligible child, as long as the member had a least 3 months' qualifying (calendar length) service.
The scheme member's active, deferred or retirement account would be closed and a pension account would be established for the child.
Within the rules of the scheme, "child" means a child who is financially dependent on the member and is their natural child, step-child or adopted child, or any other child who is either related to the member or a child of their husband, wife, civil partner or cohabiting partner.
A child will normally not be eligible if they -
- are age 18 or older;
- have ceased full-time education and are in paid employment; or
- have married or entered into a civil partnership.
However, a child aged 18 or over will be eligible if –
- they are under age 23 and in full-time education or attending a course which lasts for at least a year, or
- they were dependent on the (former) firefighter at date of death because of permanent incapacity of mind or body.
The amount of a child's pension due would depend upon the number of eligible children and whether or not a survivor's pension is in payment.
- Following the death of an active scheme member, the child's pension would be one quarter of the higher tier ill-health award which the firefighter would be entitled to if they had retired on ill-health grounds on the date of death. Where there is more than one eligible child, the pension would be one half of the higher tier award divided between the children.
- Following the death of a pensioner member, the child's pension would be one quarter of the deceased's pension - that is the value of the pension before any reduction for early payment but after commutation of lump sum. Where there is more than one eligible child, the pension would be one half of the deceased's pension divided between the children.
- Following the death of a firefighter, or former firefighter entitled to a deferred pension which was not in payment at the date of death, the child's pension would be one quarter of the deferred pension and any added pension in the member's added pension account; where there is more than one eligible child, the pension would be one half of the deferred pension divided between the children.
If the deceased leaves no eligible survivor (husband, wife, civil partner, or cohabiting partner ), but there is an eligible child or children, the pension that would have been paid to the surviving partner will be paid to an eligible child. If there is more than one child, the pension would be divided equally between the children.
This includes any bereavement pension payable for the first 13 weeks following death, which tops up the survivor's pension to the level of the firefighter's pensionable pay (death in service) or pension (death on pension).
Contact your FRA's pension administrator if you would like more detailed information on any of these points or would like to discuss your personal circumstances.