Standard Life is one of the UK’s best-known pension brands. Since 2018 it has operated under Phoenix Group Holdings, which acquired it from Standard Life Aberdeen. The pension products — workplace group personal pensions, personal pensions, and SIPPs — are now part of the abrdn family of brands, with Standard Life continuing as the main customer-facing name. If you are dealing with an estate and the deceased held a pension with Standard Life, this guide walks you through the claim process from first contact to payment.
Pensions are fundamentally different from most estate assets. A Standard Life pension pot does not automatically form part of the estate. Instead, it passes outside probate under a discretionary trust structure, guided by any expression of wishes nomination the deceased left. Understanding this distinction is the most important thing before you make your first call.
This guide covers pensions only. For Standard Life life insurance, savings bonds, and ISAs, see our separate guide on notifying Standard Life when someone dies.
Quick reference:
- General bereavement (all products): 0345 606 0095 (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm)
- Wrap SIPP specifically: 0345 279 1001 or sipp_bereavements@standardlife.com
- Online bereavement form: standardlife.co.uk/help/bereavement/bereavement-form
- Elevate platform (abrdn): 0345 300 4177 (no financial adviser) or 0345 600 2399 (had a financial adviser)
Source: Standard Life bereavement page, verified May 2026; abrdn Elevate bereavement page, verified May 2026.
Standard Life’s pension products
Standard Life and its related brands offer several pension types. Knowing which type the deceased held will tell you which process to follow and which contact number to use.
Workplace pension (group personal pension): Most Standard Life workplace pensions are group personal pensions set up by employers for their staff. Auto-enrolment legislation has meant many workers were enrolled automatically. The employer chose Standard Life; the employee may never have actively engaged with the scheme or know its details. Look through old payslips and annual pension statements — the scheme name and provider should appear on those documents.
Personal pension and Ready-Made Pension: Standard Life offers individual personal pensions, including its Ready-Made Pension product. These are opened directly by the member and are held in their own name, separate from any employer.
SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension): Standard Life’s Wrap SIPP gives members more control over how their pension is invested. The bereavement contact for Wrap SIPPs is separate from the general bereavement team (see contact details below).
Annuity: Standard Life offers annuity products — guaranteed income purchased with pension savings at retirement. If the deceased was drawing a regular income from a Standard Life annuity rather than a pension pot, the process and outcome are different, covered separately below.
Elevate platform: The Elevate investment and pension platform, originally launched by Standard Life, is now operated by abrdn. If the deceased held a pension through the Elevate platform, the bereavement contact is via abrdn directly (see below), not the Standard Life 0345 606 0095 number.
How to notify Standard Life of a death
By phone
Call 0345 606 0095 to reach Standard Life’s bereavement team. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. 0345 numbers are included in most mobile and landline inclusive call packages.
You do not need policy or plan numbers before calling. Standard Life can search their records using the deceased’s full name, date of birth, and last known address. If you have plan numbers, have them ready — it speeds up the process, but it is not a barrier to getting started.
For Wrap SIPP pensions specifically, you can also contact the dedicated team: call 0345 279 1001 or email sipp_bereavements@standardlife.com, quoting the deceased’s SIPP account number (the ‘D’ reference) in any written correspondence.
Online
Standard Life offers an online bereavement notification form at standardlife.co.uk/help/bereavement/bereavement-form. The form takes around 10–15 minutes to complete. It collects details of the deceased, the person making the notification, any executors, and information about the deceased’s family — including spouse or civil partner, children, and other dependants. This information helps the trustees assess how to pay the death benefit.
You can upload a scan or photograph of the death certificate directly (PDF, PNG, or JPG format, up to 5MB), though the form notes you can proceed without uploading it immediately. Standard Life state that a specialist from their bereavement team will contact you within two weeks of submission.
Elevate platform (abrdn)
If the deceased held their pension through the Elevate platform, contact the abrdn Elevate bereavement team rather than the Standard Life number above:
- No financial adviser: 0345 300 4177
- Deceased had a financial adviser: 0345 600 2399
- Email: elevate_enquiries@aberdeenplc.com (note: unencrypted, so avoid including sensitive personal data)
- Post: Elevate, PO Box 6891, Basingstoke, RG24 4SN
abrdn aim to confirm receipt and provide next steps within five working days of notification.
What to have ready
| Information needed | Details |
|---|---|
| Deceased's full name, date of birth, and address | Standard identification for all claims |
| Date of death | Triggers the formal claim process and starts relevant timelines |
| Plan or policy number | On annual pension statements or welcome letters — not essential for initial contact |
| Your name, relationship to deceased, and contact details | Standard Life will correspond with you throughout |
| Whether there is a will | Relevant for the estate generally; Standard Life will ask |
| Expression of wishes or nomination form | Critical for pension death benefits — find this before calling if possible |
Source: Standard Life bereavement notification form, verified May 2026.
Expression of wishes nominations
The expression of wishes form — sometimes called a nomination of beneficiary form — is the most important pension document you may find in the deceased’s papers. It is the instruction the deceased left telling Standard Life’s trustees who they wanted to receive the pension death benefit.
Standard Life pension trustees are not legally bound to follow the nomination. They hold the pension under a discretionary trust, which means they make the final decision. In practice, when there is a clear, up-to-date nomination and no competing claims, trustees almost always follow the deceased’s wishes. When there is no nomination, the trustees must make their own enquiries — reviewing family circumstances, any financial dependants, and any indication of intent in correspondence or the will.
The discretionary structure serves an important purpose. Because the trustees — not the will — decide who receives the pension, the death benefit generally sits outside the estate. It does not need to go through probate, and under current rules (for deaths before 6 April 2027) it sits outside the estate for inheritance tax too.
When nominations can cause problems: If the deceased completed a nomination form many years ago and never updated it after a divorce, remarriage, or the arrival of new children, the trustees will see an outdated instruction. They will still exercise their discretion, but the process takes longer and may create uncertainty. It is always worth searching for a nomination form and, if you find one that looks outdated, telling Standard Life when you make the first call.
Where to look for the form: Check any pension paperwork, annual statements, or the deceased’s personal files. If the deceased had a financial adviser, the adviser may hold a copy. If the deceased was in a workplace scheme, the employer’s HR or payroll team may have a record.
Nominations and the 2027 IHT change: The Finance Act 2026 changed the inheritance tax treatment of pensions from 6 April 2027 (see the section on this below). Nominations remain important even after this change — the trustees still use them to decide who receives the pension, and directing the pension to a surviving spouse or civil partner continues to attract a full spouse exemption from inheritance tax.
What documents you will need
The death certificate is the foundation of every pension claim. This is the certified copy issued by the register office after you have registered the death — not the medical certificate from the doctor or hospital. If a coroner’s inquest is underway, Standard Life will generally accept an interim death certificate to start the process, though the final certificate is typically required before any payment is authorised.
Order more certified copies than you think you need. Each financial institution requires its own original or certified copy — you cannot pass one between multiple organisations. Four to six copies is a sensible starting point if the deceased held pensions and other accounts with multiple providers. Each copy costs around £12.50 in England and Wales from the register office.
Source: gov.uk — register a death.
| Document | Why it is needed | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Death certificate (original or certified copy) | Required to begin all pension claims | Register office — order multiple copies |
| Pension plan or policy number | Identifies the specific pension account | Annual pension statements or welcome letters |
| National Insurance number | Standard Life uses it to search their records | P60s, payslips, or any HMRC correspondence |
| Expression of wishes form | Guides trustees on who to pay the death benefit to | Pension paperwork, financial adviser, or HR department |
| Your identity and proof of relationship | Standard Life will confirm requirements when you call | Passport, driving licence, or birth/marriage certificate |
| Marriage or civil partnership certificate | Needed if claiming as a surviving spouse or civil partner | Original certificate from personal papers or General Register Office |
| Grant of probate or letters of administration | Only required if the pension is to be paid into the estate | Probate registry — but most pension death benefits bypass the estate entirely |
| Your bank account details | Required to receive any lump sum death benefit payment | Your own bank statement |
Do not wait for probate before contacting Standard Life. Pension death benefits are typically paid outside the estate, so the pension claim and the probate process run in parallel.
What happens to the pension pot
Defined contribution pensions (workplace and personal)
When someone holding a Standard Life defined contribution pension dies, the remaining pot becomes a death benefit paid at the trustees’ discretion. Beneficiaries can generally choose how to receive it:
- Lump sum: A single payment made directly to the beneficiary or beneficiaries.
- Drawdown (inherited pension): The beneficiary inherits the pension pot as a drawdown fund — the money stays invested and the beneficiary can draw it down over time at a pace that suits their tax position.
- Annuity: The beneficiary uses the pension pot to purchase their own annuity, creating a guaranteed income for life.
Not all options will be available in every case — the scheme rules and the beneficiary’s circumstances both matter. Standard Life’s bereavement team will explain the available options once they have reviewed the nomination and the account.
Tax treatment
The age of the deceased at death determines how the death benefit is taxed.
Died before age 75: Beneficiaries can generally receive the pension pot tax-free — either as a lump sum or as income drawn from an inherited drawdown fund. The tax-free treatment applies only up to the lump sum and death benefit allowance, currently £1,073,100 combined across all pension death benefits. Anything above this allowance is taxed as income at the beneficiary’s marginal rate.
There is also a critical two-year rule: if Standard Life is not notified of the death within two years of the date of death, any lump sum benefit becomes subject to income tax regardless of age. The two-year clock starts from when Standard Life is notified — not from the date of death itself. This is why prompt notification matters.
Died at age 75 or over: All pension death benefits are taxed as income at the beneficiary’s marginal income tax rate. There is no tax-free treatment for deaths at or after age 75. Whether taken as a lump sum or drawn down over time, the full amount is subject to income tax.
Source: gov.uk — tax on a private pension you inherit.
The April 2027 pension IHT change
Until 5 April 2027, most pension pots — including Standard Life personal pensions, SIPPs, and workplace pensions — sit outside the estate for inheritance tax purposes. Because the trustees hold the pension under a discretionary trust, it is not legally part of the deceased’s estate and does not attract inheritance tax. This made pensions one of the most efficient assets to pass on to the next generation.
From 6 April 2027, this changes. The Finance Act 2026 (Royal Assent: 18 March 2026) brings most unused pension funds and defined contribution death benefits within the scope of inheritance tax. Pension pots will count towards the total value of the deceased’s estate, and inheritance tax at 40% will apply on the value above the available nil-rate bands.
Key points about the change:
The government estimated around 38,500 estates per year will pay additional inheritance tax as a result, with an average additional liability of approximately £34,000. This particularly affects estates where the deceased had deliberately left pension pots undrawn as a wealth transfer vehicle.
The spouse and civil partner exemption continues. If the pension is paid to a surviving spouse or civil partner, the full spouse exemption from inheritance tax applies — no IHT on those transfers. Directing the pension to a surviving spouse via the expression of wishes nomination remains an important planning consideration.
Death in service lump sums are excluded from the change. These continue to sit outside the estate and outside inheritance tax, even after April 2027.
The expression of wishes nomination still determines who receives the pension fund — the trustees continue to distribute based on the nomination. The nomination does not itself affect whether IHT is charged; instead, IHT is calculated at the estate level, and pension schemes participate in a new HMRC Pensions Direct Payment Scheme to pay any IHT due directly to HMRC before the net benefit is distributed.
For deaths before 6 April 2027, the current rules apply in full — pension pots outside the estate, no IHT on the pension. For deaths on or after that date, the pension’s value must be factored into the estate’s IHT position. If you are dealing with an estate where the death occurred on or after 6 April 2027 and the values are material, taking advice from a solicitor or pension specialist is worth considering.
Source: Finance Act 2026 — inheritance tax on unused pension funds and death benefits, gov.uk.
Annuity death benefits
An annuity is different from a pension pot. When someone buys an annuity at retirement, they exchange their pension savings for a guaranteed income for life — there is no remaining pot to inherit. What passes to family members when an annuity holder dies depends entirely on what options the deceased chose when they bought the annuity. These choices were made at purchase and cannot be changed after that point.
Standard Life offers annuity products with the following death benefit options:
- Single life, no death benefit: Payments stop on the annuitant’s death. Nothing passes to any beneficiary.
- Joint life annuity: A continuing income — either the full amount or a specified proportion (commonly 50% or 66%) — is paid to the named partner for the rest of their life.
- Guarantee period: Payments continue for a fixed number of years (typically 5 or 10) even if the annuitant dies within that period. If the deceased dies before the guarantee period ends, the remaining guaranteed payments are made to the estate or nominated beneficiary.
- Value protection (capital protection): A lump sum is paid on death equal to the original purchase price minus the total income already received, ensuring the full purchase price is returned if the annuitant dies early.
If you do not know which option the deceased had, contact Standard Life on 0345 606 0095 and ask. Check any original policy documentation from when the annuity was set up — the purchase confirmation letter will specify what options were included.
Notify Standard Life as soon as possible. Annuity payments made to the deceased’s bank account after the date of death will need to be returned. The executor or administrator of the estate is responsible for repaying any overpayments.
The April 2027 IHT change includes a specific note about annuities: joint life annuities purchased as a continuation of a lifetime annuity are excluded from the new IHT charge. These sit outside the changes and continue under the existing rules.
How long does it take?
Processing time varies based on how clear the nomination is, how quickly documents arrive, and the complexity of the family situation.
| Pension type | Typical timeline |
|---|---|
| Workplace or personal pension — clear expression of wishes nomination | 4–8 weeks once death certificate and documents received |
| Workplace or personal pension — no nomination form | Longer — trustees must investigate and make their own decision |
| Wrap SIPP — with clear nomination | 4–8 weeks, sometimes faster |
| Wrap SIPP — contested or complex | Up to two years in rare cases; Standard Life will keep in contact |
| Annuity — single life with no death benefit | Payments stop; no further payment to beneficiaries |
| Annuity — joint life or guarantee period | Standard Life confirms continuing payments or pays remaining guaranteed amount |
| Elevate platform pension | Acknowledgement within 5 working days; overall similar to above |
Standard Life state on their bereavement page: “When we are told that one of our customers has died, we’ll make every effort to complete the process quickly.” Source: Standard Life bereavement page, verified May 2026.
The most consistent cause of delay is incomplete documentation. If Standard Life have to come back to you for additional information, each round trip adds time. Providing the death certificate, plan number, and nomination form as early as possible is the most effective thing you can do to keep things moving.
Tips and common pitfalls
The two-year clock starts from notification, not death. For deaths under age 75, the tax-free treatment of lump sum death benefits depends on Standard Life being notified within two years of the date of death. Do not wait on other parts of the estate being settled before contacting the pension team.
Outdated nominations cause delays. If the expression of wishes form was completed years ago and the deceased’s family circumstances have changed since — through divorce, remarriage, or new children — the trustees will see an instruction that may no longer reflect the deceased’s actual wishes. Tell Standard Life when you call; they will take the full picture into account. The process will take longer but is not insurmountable.
Multiple pension pots from different employers. Many people build up several Standard Life pension pots over a working life — one from each employer that used Standard Life for their workplace scheme. Standard Life can check their records by the deceased’s full name, date of birth, and National Insurance number; ask them to confirm all products on file.
The Elevate platform is a different contact. If the deceased had a pension through Standard Life’s Elevate investment platform, the contact is via abrdn’s Elevate team (numbers above), not the main Standard Life bereavement number. If you are unsure, call 0345 606 0095 first and they will direct you.
Pensions held before Standard Life merged with abrdn. If the deceased held a pension with Standard Life Aberdeen (the company formed when Standard Life merged with Aberdeen Asset Management in 2017, which later rebranded to abrdn), those pensions are administered through Standard Life or the abrdn platforms depending on the product. Contact Standard Life on 0345 606 0095 as the starting point.
Check for a Standard Life Wrap pension. If the deceased held investments and pensions through Standard Life’s Wrap platform (now operated under abrdn), the Wrap SIPP bereavement email is sipp_bereavements@standardlife.com — useful if you prefer not to call.
Use the Pension Tracing Service if unsure. If you suspect the deceased had pension savings somewhere but cannot confirm the provider, the government’s free Pension Tracing Service can help. Search by employer name to find the pension scheme and administrator’s contact details. It does not confirm whether a pension exists — you contact the scheme to confirm that — but it is the right first step.
Summary
Standard Life’s main bereavement number is 0345 606 0095, open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. For Wrap SIPPs, use 0345 279 1001 or email sipp_bereavements@standardlife.com. For Elevate platform pensions, call 0345 300 4177 (or 0345 600 2399 if the deceased had a financial adviser).
| Product | Contact | Online |
|---|---|---|
| Workplace pension, personal pension | 0345 606 0095 (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm) | Online form |
| Wrap SIPP | 0345 279 1001 or sipp_bereavements@standardlife.com | Email or call |
| Elevate platform pension | 0345 300 4177 (no adviser) / 0345 600 2399 (had adviser) | elevate_enquiries@aberdeenplc.com |
| Annuity | 0345 606 0095 (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm) | Online form |
Immediate actions:
- Find the deceased’s pension documents — plan numbers, annual statements, any expression of wishes form
- Order multiple certified copies of the death certificate from the register office (around £12.50 each)
- Contact Standard Life as soon as possible — the two-year clock for tax-free treatment (deaths under 75) starts from notification
- Do not wait for probate — pension death benefits are paid outside the estate at trustees’ discretion
- If the deceased held an Elevate platform pension, contact abrdn Elevate separately
- If you are not certain which pension provider the deceased used, contact the Pension Tracing Service
For a full explanation of how pension death benefits work across all provider types, see our guide to what happens to pensions when someone dies. For Standard Life life insurance, investments, and savings, see how to notify Standard Life when someone dies.
If the deceased held pensions with other major providers, see our guides to claiming an Aviva pension, claiming a Legal & General pension, and claiming a Scottish Widows pension.
Sources
- Standard Life bereavement page — verified May 2026
- Standard Life online bereavement form — verified May 2026
- abrdn Elevate bereavement page — verified May 2026
- gov.uk — tax on a private pension you inherit
- Finance Act 2026 — inheritance tax on unused pension funds and death benefits
- gov.uk technical note — inheritance tax on pensions
- gov.uk — register a death