§ Mr. DjanoglyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the level of in-Service death benefits is in the new Armed Forces(a) Pension Scheme and (b) Compensation Scheme. [135823]
§ Mr. CaplinFor those members that choose to join the new Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) and for new entrants after the date of its initial implementation, in-Service death benefits will be
a death-in-service lump sum of four times pensionable pay to member's nominee;a widow(er)'s (including partners in a substantial relationship) non-attributable pension normally worth 62.5 per cent. of the member's pension and paid for life, irrespective of marriage or cohabitation; andall dependent children will be eligible for a non-attributable pension below the age of 17 or until they complete full-time education.For all in-Service deaths that are due to Service and caused after the date of the introduction of the new Compensation Scheme, benefits will be:
54Wa Guaranteed Income Stream (GIS) for widow(er)s (including partners in a substantial relationship) payable for life and equating to 60 per cent. of the GIS calculation for the deceased, abated by 75 per cent. of any non-attributable pension (to avoid double compensation);a GIS will also be payable to dependent children (abated by non-attributable pension); anda bereavement grant (currently set at £20,000) will be paid to those whose partner remained in the current AFPS, as they would not benefit from the improved death in-Service benefit under the new AFPS. However, there will be a bereavement grant guarantee set so that if three times pensionable pay and £20,000 is greater than the new AFPS death in-Service lump sum, the Compensation Scheme will pay the balance.A non-attributable pension is the pension paid where a death is not caused or significantly hastened by Service.