Nominate a cohabiting partner
Provided you paid into the Scheme on or after 1 April 2008, death benefits include provision for a pension to be paid to a nominated cohabiting partner. A cohabiting partner is someone you are living with as if you are married or in a civil partnership.
You can nominate a cohabiting partner by completing our nomination form and returning it to us.
Our Cohabiting Partner Nomination Form
Nomination of Cohabiting Partner[pdf - 104kb]
If you are married or are in a registered civil partnership do not complete a cohabiting partner's nomination form for your husband, wife or registered civil partner - they are automatically covered for a survivor's pension.
If you are a Councillor member, the Scheme rules do not allow you to nominate your cohabiting partner to receive a pension.
Qualifying conditions
All of the following conditions must apply to both you and your nominated co-habiting partner on the date you both sign the nomination form:
- both of you are free to marry each other or enter into a civil partnership with each other, and
- both of you have been living together as if you were husband and wife, or civil partners, and
- neither of you 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.
A nomination is only valid if all of the above conditions have been met for a continuous period of at least two years on the date you sign the form.
What happens when I die?
A survivor's pension would be paid to your nominated cohabiting partner if:
- the nomination has *effect at the date of your death and
- your partner satisfies us that the above conditions had been met for a continuous period of at least two years immediately prior to your death.
*please note that the nomination ceases to have effect if it has been previously cancelled, a new nomination has been made, either you or your nominee marries, forms a civil partnership or lives with a third person as if they were married or civil partners, or your nominee dies before you.
We will verify that the conditions for paying a survivor's pension have been satisfied. There is a right of appeal if we decide not to pay a pension and your partner believes that he/she has entitlement.
Remember to let us know of a change in your circumstances which could affect the nomination, or if you wish to cancel it.
