How to claim a Civil Service pension after a bereavement

The Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS) covers around 1.5 million current and former civil servants in Great Britain, including staff in central government departments, executive agencies, and many non-departmental public bodies. When a member dies, the scheme can pay a substantial lump sum death benefit and an ongoing survivor’s pension for life, depending on which section of the scheme they belonged to and whether they were active, deferred, or already retired.

This guide explains how to notify the scheme, which administrator to contact, what death benefits each section pays, and the practical steps that often catch families out. It is written for spouses, civil partners, nominated partners, and adult children dealing with the practical side of a bereavement involving a civil service pension.

The scheme is administered on behalf of the Cabinet Office. Administration transferred from MyCSP to Capita on 1 December 2025, so the contact route is the same regardless of whether you previously dealt with MyCSP. The CSPS is a separate scheme from the NHS Pension, the Local Government Pension Scheme, the Teachers’ Pension Scheme, and the Armed Forces Pension Scheme, even though many civil servants have prior service in one or more of these.

Quick reference:

• CSPS bereavement helpline: 0300 123 6666 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm)
• Online death notification: civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk – tell us someone has died
• Postal address: Civil Service Pensions, PO Box 2017, Liverpool, L69 2BU
• Administrator: Capita (took over from MyCSP on 1 December 2025)
• What to have ready: the deceased’s pension reference number or National Insurance number, full name, date of birth, date of death, and last employing department
• Tell Us Once: the Civil Service Pension Scheme does not participate in the Tell Us Once service. You need to contact the scheme directly.

The seven CSPS sections explained

The CSPS is one scheme made up of several sections introduced over the past sixty years. The death benefits available depend almost entirely on which section the deceased belonged to.

Most civil servants in active service today are in alpha, often with earlier service preserved in classic, premium, or nuvos. The McCloud remedy (resolved through the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022) means service between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022 is treated as if it had been in the legacy scheme for members who were active on 31 March 2012, with a choice exercised at retirement.

For death benefits, the practical effect is straightforward: Capita calculates the lump sum and survivor’s pension under each section the member belonged to and pays the combined total. Families do not need to work this out.

Source: Civil Service Pension Scheme – about the scheme and Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022. Last verified: 13 May 2026.

How to notify the Civil Service Pension Scheme of a death

There are three routes. Use whichever is most practical for you.

1. Phone

Call 0300 123 6666 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm). The Capita bereavement team will take initial details, confirm which sections the deceased belonged to, and explain exactly what paperwork is needed for that particular case.

If the deceased was already drawing a pension, the team will also arrange to stop further payments and calculate any final amount owed (or overpayment to be returned) up to the date of death.

2. Online

Use the “tell us someone has died” form at civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/your-pension/personal-life/tell-us-someone-has-died. The form captures the deceased’s details, your relationship to them, and the date of death. Capita then writes back with a personalised pack covering what to do next.

3. Post

Write to Civil Service Pensions, PO Box 2017, Liverpool, L69 2BU. Include the deceased’s full name, date of birth, date of death, National Insurance number or pension reference number, and your contact details. Do not send original documents by post until Capita has asked for them.

What happens after you notify them

Capita will:

1. Stop any pension payments to the deceased and calculate the residual amount payable up to the date of death.
2. Identify which sections of the scheme the deceased belonged to and which death benefits apply.
3. Check the death benefit nomination on file (if any) and identify the beneficiary or beneficiaries.
4. Write to potential beneficiaries with a personalised explanation of what is payable and what evidence is needed.
5. Process the lump sum death benefit and set up any ongoing survivor’s pension.

Source: Civil Service Pension Scheme – tell us someone has died and Capita CSPS service delivery update, March 2026. Last verified: 13 May 2026.

Note on current service delays. Through 2025 and into 2026, the CSPS has been working through a recovery plan after a backlog of cases built up during the MyCSP-to-Capita transition. Capita has confirmed that bereavement cases are prioritised and that dedicated bereavement and financial hardship lines exist for members who need urgent attention. If you are struggling with delays, ask explicitly for the bereavement priority queue when you call.

What documents you’ll need

Capita will send you a personalised list once they have your initial notification. Typically you’ll need:

• Death certificate – original or certified copy. Photocopies are not accepted. Order several certified copies from the registrar at the time of registration, as you’ll need them for the bank, probate, and other pensions.
• Civil Service Pension reference number or National Insurance number – on any pension statement or correspondence.
• Marriage or civil partnership certificate – if you are claiming as a spouse or civil partner.
• Evidence of cohabitation and financial interdependency – if you are claiming as a nominated partner. Joint bank statements, household bills in both names, a joint tenancy or mortgage agreement, and proof of address at the same property are the usual items.
• Birth certificates for any dependent children – if claiming a children’s pension.
• Bank account details – sort code and account number for whoever is receiving payments.
• Grant of probate or letters of administration – only required if no death benefit nomination is in place and the lump sum is being paid to the estate.

Death certificates currently cost £12.50 each in England and Wales (from October 2024). For most families, three to five copies covers banks, pensions, and probate.

Death benefits in service: alpha

If a member dies as an active alpha member, the headline payments are:

Lump sum death benefit

A tax-free lump sum equal to two times the member’s annualised final pensionable earnings at the date of death. For a member earning £40,000, this is an £80,000 lump sum.

The lump sum is paid at the scheme administrator’s discretion, following the member’s death benefit nomination if one is in place. Where there is no valid nomination, the lump sum is paid to the legal personal representatives (i.e. into the estate).

Survivor’s pension

A pension for an eligible adult survivor – spouse, civil partner, or qualifying nominated partner – equal to 37.5% of the pension the member would have received if they had been retired on ill-health grounds at the date of death. This is enhanced rather than being based only on the pension built up so far, which significantly increases the benefit for younger members.

The survivor’s pension is paid for life, indexed each year to the consumer prices index, and is taxable as income.

Children’s pension

A pension for dependent children up to age 18 (or 23 if in full-time education), shared among eligible children. The exact rate depends on whether an adult survivor’s pension is also in payment.

Source: Civil Service Pension Scheme – death benefits in alpha and the alpha scheme guide. Last verified: 13 May 2026.

Death benefits in service: classic, classic plus, premium, nuvos

The legacy sections (collectively the PCSPS) pay different in-service benefits.

“Enhanced pension” means the pension calculated as if the member had retired on ill-health grounds at the date of death, rather than the pension built up to that point. This enhancement is what makes a death-in-service settlement significantly more valuable than the pension a young or mid-career member had accrued.

Members in the Partnership scheme (defined contribution) have a separate death benefit equal to 3× pensionable earnings, plus the value of their Partnership pension pot. The pot is paid as either a lump sum or used to buy a survivor’s annuity.

Source: Civil Service Pension Scheme – classic, premium and nuvos guides and the PCSPS members’ guide. Last verified: 13 May 2026.

Death after leaving the civil service (deferred member)

A deferred member is someone who left the civil service but had not yet started drawing their pension at the date of death.

For deferred members:

• Lump sum: generally 5× the deferred annual pension, less any amount already paid out at retirement. For some legacy sections, the multiplier is different – Capita will calculate this on a case-by-case basis.
• Survivor’s pension: the dependant’s pension calculated under the rules of the section the member belonged to. There is no death-in-service enhancement; the pension is based on accrued benefits at the date the member left service, revalued for inflation.

If the deferred member had reached normal pension age but had not yet claimed their pension at the date of death, the benefits are treated as if they had retired the day before death.

Death after retirement (pensioner member)

For a member who was already drawing their pension at the date of death:

Supplementary lump sum

If the pensioner dies within the first five years of retirement, the scheme pays a supplementary lump sum equal to the balance of five years’ worth of pension payments, less any tax-free lump sum already taken at retirement and any pension payments already made.

In practice, this protects beneficiaries against the worst-case scenario of a pensioner dying very soon after retirement. After five years from the retirement date, no supplementary lump sum is paid; the survivor’s pension is the only ongoing benefit.

Survivor’s pension

The adult survivor’s pension is calculated under the rules of the relevant section. For pensioners with service in multiple sections, Capita totals the entitlement and pays it as a single monthly payment.

Short-term and long-term pensions

For the first three months after death, the survivor receives a short-term pension at the full rate of the member’s own pension. After three months, payments drop to the long-term rate under the relevant section’s rules. The short-term pension is what stops a sudden drop in household income while the long-term arrangements are set up.

Source: Civil Service Pension Scheme – when someone has died and the classic and premium scheme guides. Last verified: 13 May 2026.

The death benefit nomination form

The death benefit nomination is the single most important piece of paperwork sitting behind the lump sum. Members complete it to tell the scheme who should receive any death benefit lump sum if they die.

If a valid nomination is on file at the date of death:

• The lump sum is paid directly to the nominee, usually within a few weeks of Capita receiving the death certificate.
• The money sits outside the estate – it does not pass under the will, does not go through probate, and (under current rules, until April 2027 – see below) does not count toward inheritance tax.
• The nominee receives the full amount, regardless of what the will says.

If no nomination exists, the lump sum is paid to the legal personal representatives, i.e. into the estate. At that point it falls under probate, may be subject to claims by creditors, and the rules around tax treatment differ.

Nominations can be in favour of:

• A spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner.
• One or more individuals (children, grandchildren, siblings, friends).
• A registered charity.
• A trust.

The nomination can be changed at any time and applies until the member updates it. Nominations made before a marriage or civil partnership are not automatically updated by the change in status, and an out-of-date nomination naming an ex-partner or sibling overrides what the will says. This catches families out.

If you are unsure whether the deceased completed a nomination, ask Capita when you call. They hold the current nomination on file and will tell you exactly who is named.

Source: Civil Service Pension Scheme – death benefit nomination. Last verified: 13 May 2026.

The April 2027 pension IHT change and the CSPS

From 6 April 2027, most unused pension funds and pension death benefits will be brought into the deceased’s estate for inheritance tax. HM Treasury published its consultation response in 2025 clarifying the position for defined benefit schemes such as the CSPS:

• Death-in-service lump sums – the 2× or 3× final earnings grant paid because the member died as an active CSPS member – have been excluded from the new IHT rules. They will continue to sit outside the estate for IHT purposes.
• Survivor’s pensions – the regular adult dependant pension and children’s pension – are unaffected. Spouse and civil partner survivor pensions also benefit from the existing spousal exemption from IHT.
• Death grants for deferred and pensioner members – the 5× deferred pension grant and the pensioner supplementary lump sum within the first five years – are expected to fall within the new IHT framework. Personal representatives (executors or administrators) will become responsible for reporting and paying any IHT due on these payments from April 2027.

From the same date, pension scheme administrators must provide a valuation of any in-scope death benefits within four weeks of being notified of the death, so the personal representatives can include the figure in the IHT account.

Source: HMRC – inheritance tax: unused pension funds and death benefits and the Royal London adviser briefing on the April 2027 changes. Last verified: 13 May 2026.

The detailed secondary legislation is still being finalised. If a deferred or pensioner lump sum is involved, take specific advice from a financial adviser or solicitor familiar with the final rules.

How long it takes

Once Capita has all the documents, realistic timings are:

• Lump sum death benefit: typically 4 to 8 weeks once the completed application and supporting documents are received.
• Short-term survivor’s pension: first payment within around 6 weeks, backdated to the day after the date of death.
• Long-term survivor’s pension: begins three months after death and is paid monthly.
• Children’s pension: similar timeline to the adult survivor’s pension.

The biggest delays come from missing or unclear documents, unresolved questions about cohabiting partner status, or sections where the McCloud remedy applies and an election needs to be confirmed before benefits can be finalised. As noted earlier, the CSPS has been working through a service backlog – bereavement cases are prioritised, but if you encounter delays, ask explicitly for the bereavement queue.

There is a two-year deadline for the lump sum to be paid out. If the lump sum is not paid within two years of Capita being notified of the death, an HMRC tax charge of up to 45% applies when it is eventually paid. This is a notification deadline, not a claim deadline: as long as the scheme has been told about the death promptly, you have time to gather paperwork.

Tips and things to watch out for

A few practical points come up repeatedly in CSPS bereavements:

Tell Us Once does not cover the CSPS. Even if you have used Tell Us Once when registering the death, you still need to contact Capita separately. Many families assume otherwise and end up delaying the claim by weeks.

Check whether a death benefit nomination is on file. Before assuming the spouse will receive the lump sum, ask the scheme. An out-of-date nomination naming a sibling, an ex-partner, or a parent overrides what the will says.

Multiple sections is the norm. A civil servant who joined in 2005 and is still serving today has service in premium (2005–2007), nuvos (2007–2015), and alpha (2015 onwards), plus a McCloud remedy election covering 2015–2022. Capita combines all of this; you do not need to handle it.

Partnership pension pots are separate. If the member contributed to a Partnership pension (the defined contribution option since 2002), the pot is held with the partnership provider (Legal & General, Scottish Widows, or Standard Life depending on the year). Notify the provider separately as well as Capita.

Cohabiting partner claims need evidence, not declarations. Joint bank statements, household bills in both names, and a joint tenancy or mortgage agreement are the usual items. A cohabiting partner without a nomination on file may still receive a survivor’s pension, but the scheme assesses eligibility based on documented financial interdependency.

Civil servants who joined under PCSPS rules and chose Partnership in 2002. A small group of members switched from PCSPS to Partnership when Partnership was launched. They may have preserved PCSPS benefits as well as a Partnership pot. Both need to be claimed.

Pre-2007 unmarried partners. Service before 1 April 2007 in some legacy sections does not give an automatic survivor pension to an unmarried partner. This is a quirk of historical scheme rules, not a recent change. Capita will explain if it affects your case.

Members with prior NHS, LGPS, Teachers’ Pension or Armed Forces service. Each scheme has to be notified separately. There is no automatic information-sharing between public sector schemes. See our companion guides on the NHS Pension, the LGPS, the Teachers’ Pension Scheme, and the Armed Forces Pension Scheme.

Civil Service Insurance Society and Charity Fund. Many serving and retired civil servants belong to the Civil Service Insurance Society (CSIS) for personal accident or life cover, or have a connection to the Charity for Civil Servants. These are separate from the pension and may pay additional benefits. Check correspondence for membership of either organisation.

Summary

If a Civil Service Pension Scheme member has died:

1. Phone Capita on 0300 123 6666 or submit the online death notification at civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/your-pension/personal-life/tell-us-someone-has-died.
2. Have ready the deceased’s pension reference number or National Insurance number, date of birth, date of death, and last employing department.
3. Ask whether a death benefit nomination is on file and who is named.
4. Gather documents: death certificate, marriage or civil partnership certificate (or cohabitation evidence), and birth certificates for dependent children.
5. Claim the survivor’s pension – it does not start automatically. The dependant application form must be completed.
6. Notify other schemes separately if the deceased also had NHS, LGPS, Teachers’ or Armed Forces service, or a private pension.

For the wider picture, see what happens to a pension when someone dies. For the rest of the estate process, see our probate hub and inheritance tax guides. The CSPS has a dedicated bereavement team and the process is well-handled once started. Take it one form at a time.