Reporting a member's death

If you’re dealing with the death of a BTP Fund member, you’ll find everything you need to know below.

How do I report the death of a BTP Fund member? 

If the member was still paying contributions into the Fund when they died, you will need to contact their employer. The employer will then report the member’s death to the scheme administrator, Railpen.  

If the member had stopped paying into their pension before they died, you need to report their death to us yourself. 

If you’re not sure whether the member was still paying in or not, please contact us directly to be safe. 

You can tell us about a member’s death by;

• Calling 0800 012 1117 and selecting Option 2: Bereavement. If you’re calling internationally, please dial +44 1325 342 800
• Emailing csu@railpen.com or
• Writing to the Scheme’s administrator, Railpen, at PO Box 300, Darlington, DL3 6YJ

You should tell us about a member’s death as soon as possible. This is particularly important if they have already started taking their pension. If they have, then we need to stop their payments quickly, otherwise you may be asked to pay it back later. 

If you are using the government’s Tell Us Once service, this will not work for the BTP Fund, because we are not a government department. That means you must contact us directly, even if you are using the Tell Us Once service for other organisations.  

What do I need to report a member’s death?

If you’re reporting a member’s death, please include:

• The member’s full name and date of birth
• The member’s BTP Fund membership number and/or National Insurance number
• The member’s date of death
• The name and address of whoever we should contact about the member’s pension moving forward. You should also tell us how this person is connected to the member, for example next of kin or executor of their estate.

What happens after Railpen is told about a member’s death?

Once we know that a member has died, we will write directly to whoever is dealing with the member’s affairs. For example, this may be the member’s next of kin or the executor of their estate. We get their contact details from the person who reports the member’s death. 

The person dealing with the member’s affairs will then be asked to complete and return some forms to give us all of the information we need. These forms will help us to identify anyone who might benefit from the member’s pension. 

The person dealing with the member’s affairs will also need to send us; 

• The member’s death certificate
•  A copy of the member’s will, if one is available. Being named in the will does not mean you are automatically entitled to any of the member’s pension but it will help us to identify who might benefit from the member’s pension.

Once all of this information has been returned and processed, we will contact any potential beneficiaries to explain what they may be entitled to and what they need to do next. 

What do potential beneficiaries need to do?

If you are a potential beneficiary you will be contacted directly by the scheme’s administrator, Railpen. You will then be asked to complete a form, confirming if you want to be considered to get money from the member’s pension.

 If you do want to be considered, you will need to provide Railpen with proof of ID. This may include:

• Birth Certificate
• Marriage Certificate
• Adoption Certificate
• Passport
• Driving License 
• Grant of Probate
• Name change Certificate
• Utility bills
• Bank Statements

 Original certificates will be returned. 

We will also accept certified copies of certificates. 

Once we have received the information needed and proof of ID from all the potential beneficiaries, the member’s death benefits will be considered by the Management Committee. In line with scheme rules, the Management Committee will decide where any death benefits should be paid.  This is explained in greater detail below. 

Who gets money from the member’s pension?

Who benefits from a member’s pension, and exactly what they get, is based on the scheme rules and the decisions of the Management Committee.  

 In general, there are 2 types of payment that can be made from a member’s pension when they die. 

1. A lump sum death benefit

If a lump sum death benefit is payable under the scheme rules, then the Management Committee will decide who this should go to.    

It can be paid to one person, or split across multiple beneficiaries.   

To help make this decision, the Management Committee will consider all potential beneficiaries and the member’s personal circumstances. 

In line with the scheme rules, potential beneficiaries may include; 

• Any person, charity or organisation who the member nominated to receive their lump sum death benefit before they died.  
  • By making a nomination, a member can let the Management Committee know who they would prefer their lump sum death benefit to be paid to. That’s why it is really important that members keep this information up-to-date. The Management Committee does not have to follow these wishes but will take them into account. We can tell you if the member made a nomination but we cannot tell you who their nominees may be. This is in line with Data Protection rules.; 

• Anyone named in the member’s Will. This does not automatically mean they will get money from the member’s pension but the Management Committee may take it into account.

• Family members or anyone who was financially dependent on the member at the time of their death

2. Regular pension payments for dependants

 Who gets a dependents’ pension is set out in the scheme rules.  They say that a regular pension may be paid to the following;

•  An eligible spouse   

This is the member’s husband, wife or their partner in a civil partnership, who they were legally married to and living with at the time of their death.                               

• An eligible dependant

This is any person, other than an Eligible Spouse, Eligible Civil Partner or Eligible Child, who had been fully or largely dependent on the member financially for at least two years, immediately prior to the member’s death.

• Eligible children

The member’s children may receive a pension, which is paid until they are 18 years old. Whether they are eligible depends on the rules of the member’s pension section.

If a child is in full-time education, the pension may continue to be paid to the age of 23, if the Management Committee agrees. If a child is disabled, the pension may be payable for life, if the Management Committee agrees.

Before a dependents’ pension is paid, the Management Committee will look at the member’s circumstances at the time of their death. This is to make sure the dependents’ pensions are paid in line with the scheme rules. For example, we must confirm that the member was living with their spouse when they died before an eligible spouse’s pension can be paid.

If the member had paid into the 2007 section or the CARE section of the fund, they must have paid into the fund for at least 2 years, in order for any dependant death benefits to be considered. This requirement may not apply if the member has died as a result of active service.

We will provide further information about dependents’ pensions and their eligibility criteria when we write to whoever is dealing with the member’s affairs. We may then request evidence before any claim can proceed.

How long does it take for death benefits to be paid?

It may take quite some time for any benefits to be paid following a member’s death.

This is because it can take a long time for us to identify and contact all of the potential beneficiaries and confirm their IDs.  The Management Committee then also need time to look at the member’s pension in detail and to decide where any death benefits should be paid. 

Our priority is making sure the member’s money goes to the right people. We’ll do everything we can to make that process as quick and easy as possible for everyone involved. And our team are on hand to help every step of the way.

Where can I get help following a member’s death?

If you have questions about the member’s pension, then our team will be more than happy to help.  You can contact us by:

• Calling 0800 012 1117 and selecting Option 2: Bereavement. If you’re calling internationally, please dial +44 1325 342 800
• Emailing csu@railpen.com or
• Writing to Railpen, PO Box 300, Darlington, DL3 6YJ
  

If you have more general questions, then you may find the following links useful.

Gov.uk

The Government has an online guide telling you what to do when someone dies. This includes everything from registering the death to dealing with their estate. You can find it at gov.uk/after-a-death

Cruse Bereavement Support

Cruse Bereavement Support is a national charity offering bereavement support and information. Visit cruse.org.uk

NHS

This webpage from the NHS offers advice on dealing with grief. And shows where to go for support if you’re struggling with your mental health. Visit  nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/feelings-and-symptoms/grief-bereavement-loss

Railway Benefit Fund (RBF)

The Railway Benefit Fund is an independent charity that supports railway workers and their families through a variety of issues, offering financial assistance, practical help and advice, all in strict confidence. Visit  railwaybenefitfund.org.uk/how-we-can-help/information-and-advice/

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice aim to give people the knowledge and the confidence they need to find their way forward - whoever they are, and whatever their problem. Visit  citizensadvice.org.uk/family/death-and-wills/what-to-do-after-a-death