Benefits payable on the death of a member of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) include pensions for children, for a surviving spouse or civil partner* and, provided the scheme member paid into the LGPS on or after 1 April 2008, for a cohabiting partner.

You can nominate a cohabiting partner, of either opposite or same sex, with whom you have not entered into marriage or formed a civil partnership. In order to avoid any possible misunderstandings, you are advised to sign a joint declaration that the following conditions have been met:

The conditions are that for a continuous period of at least two years on the date the joint declaration is signed:

• both you and your nominated co-habiting partner are, and have been, able to marry each other or form a civil partnership with each other, and
• you and your nominated co-habiting partner have been living together as if you were husband and wife, or civil partners, and
• neither you nor your nominated co-habiting partner have been living with someone else as if you/they were husband and wife or civil partners, and
• either your nominated co-habiting partner is financially dependent on you or you are financially interdependent on each other^.

On your death, partners benefits would be paid to your nominated co-habiting partner if:

• your nominated cohabiting partner satisfies us that the above conditions had been met for a continuous period of at least 2 years immediately prior to your death.

You and your co-habiting partner should be aware that on your death we will need to verify that the conditions have been satisfied. We may do this by, for example, asking for confirmation that you lived in a shared household with shared household spending, or your partner may be asked to demonstrate that you had a bank account or mortgage in joint names. There would be a right of appeal if we decide not to pay a pension and your partner believes that he/she has entitlement.

If you wish to nominate your cohabiting partner for a survivor’s pension please complete the attached form and send it to the address shown. The declaration should be signed by both you and your partner. The declaration is important as we cannot pay a pension to a cohabiting partner if they do not meet the relevant conditions mentioned on the form.

*A civil partnership is a relationship between two people of the same sex ("civil partners") which is formed when they register as civil partners of each other.

^Your partner is financially dependent on you if you have the higher income. Financially interdependent means that you rely on your joint finances to support your standard of living. It doesn’t mean that you need to be contributing equally. For example, if your partner’s income is a lot more than yours, he or she may pay the mortgage and most of the bills, and you may pay for the weekly shopping.