Following a High Court judgement on 18th January 2018, if a member paid into the LGPS after 1st April 2008, the need to nominate a cohabiting partner has been removed.

In order to qualify for a survivors pension, all of the conditions listed below must have been satisfied for a continuous period of at least 2 years prior to the date of death.

Criteria to be met for a valid claim by a cohabiting partner:

• You must have been free to marry each other or enter into a civil partnership together, and;
• You must have lived together as if you were husband and wife or registered civil partners, and;
• Neither of you had been living with someone else as if you were husband and wife or civil partners, and;
• Your financial affairs had been interdependent or you were financially dependent on the scheme member (financially interdependent means that you rely on your joint finances to support your standard of living). For example, confirmation that you lived in a shared household with shared household spending, or that you have a bank account or mortgage in a joint name.

If you believe you have a claim to a benefit under the above scenario please contact us by letter or email.