Mineworkers Pension Scheme death benefits can include a spouse's pension, pensions for children and a lump sum, and the Scheme has to be told of a death directly.
Dealing with a death now? The reporting steps are further down. The form on this page can reserve a call-back about a widow's pension from the Scheme and how it sits among your other income. Calls are free, from an FCA-authorised adviser.
Who gets a Mineworkers Pension Scheme widow's or partner's pension?
It depends on whether the member was married or in a civil partnership. The Scheme says that for most people, retired or not, a spouse's pension is paid for life. The Scheme's 2025 newsletter insert gives the size and a date condition: "If you were married to the member and he left the industry after 6 April 1978, you’ll receive a spouse’s pension of around two thirds of the member’s pension." A member who left the industry before that date is not covered by that sentence, so the entitlement in that case is for the Scheme to confirm.
A spouse can usually choose how to take it. The insert says the options include a pension for life or giving up part of it for a one-off lump sum, with any Guaranteed Minimum Pension paid as an income as well. On that lump sum it states: "If the member died before they were 75 years old, the lump sum will be tax free. If they died after they were 75, it will be taxed."
An unmarried partner is treated differently. The Scheme says such a partner "may get a pension at the Trustees' discretion" and may be asked for evidence of the relationship. According to the insert, the Scheme writes to ask them to apply, and they must show "that you were partners and had some financial dependency".
What do children and other dependants receive?
The Scheme's page says "Any children under 18 will receive a pension". The newsletter insert is a little wider and a little more cautious: the Scheme might be able to pay a pension to children who are "under 18, aged 18-21 and in full-time education, or over 18 and were financially dependent on the member due to illness or disability". Because the two documents are worded differently, a family with a child just over 18 should ask the Scheme which applies. The Scheme asks the child or a guardian for proof of age, education or medical conditions; CISWO, the coal mining charity, can help with this and with a partner's evidence.
At the Trustees' discretion the Scheme may pay a pension to someone the member supported financially, or someone who looks after the member's children. The page is clear on the opposite case: "If you are single and nobody is financially dependent on you, we do not pay out a pension when you die."
Can a member nominate someone before they die?
A member who is not married or in a civil partnership can use the nomination form to name one financially dependent adult to be considered for a dependant's pension. The form says nominating "is not a guarantee that a discretionary pension will be awarded", only that the Scheme will know the member's wishes, and that the member "may only nominate one dependant". It can be done through the member portal or by post or email, and a new form replaces any earlier one.
How a nomination differs from naming a beneficiary is explained on nominee versus beneficiary.
Is a lump sum paid when a Mineworkers pension member dies?
Only in a limited window. If a member dies before starting their Scheme pension, or within five years of starting it, the Scheme may be able to pay a lump sum, and "There is no lump sum payable if you have been receiving your Scheme pension for more than 5 years." The insert adds that this is in addition to any spouse's pension.
The Trustees decide who is paid. A member can name people on the Expression of Wish form, online or on paper, but "we do not have to do what it says on your form", though wishes are taken into account where possible. The form also says that, because the Trustees have complete discretion, the lump sum is normally outside the estate and free of inheritance tax "under current tax rules". Section 71 of the Finance Act 2026 applies new inheritance tax rules on pension interests to deaths from 6 April 2027; see pensions and inheritance tax. For how wishes work generally, see filling in an expression of wish.
General rules on how lump sums paid after a death are taxed are on inherited pension tax.
Reporting a member's death to the Mineworkers Pension Scheme
Contact the Scheme Administrator as soon as possible. You can call the Member Helpline on 0333 222 0077, email mps@brightwellpensions.com, or write to Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme, Sunderland, SR43 4LE. There is also an online report a death link on the Scheme's website.
The Scheme says the government's Tell Us Once service does not cover it, so it has to be told separately. Include the member's Scheme Number or National Insurance number, their date of birth, the date they died and the details of whoever is dealing with their affairs, and mention any widow, widower, civil partner or financially dependent person. The Scheme may then ask for the original death certificate, which it returns, and for evidence such as bank statements or utility bills where someone was financially dependent.
If a payment has gone out after the date of death, see what happens to an overpayment after a death; the dates themselves are on the payment dates page. A death can also affect other income, such as Pension Credit.
What if your situation is not covered above?
Some answers depend on the member's own record and the Scheme rules: a member who left the industry before 6 April 1978, a surviving partner who later remarries or lives with someone new, or whether bonus pensions form part of what a widow receives. Do not assume either way. The Scheme can answer for a named member, and a call-back booked through the enquiry form can cover what the answers mean for your budget. On remarriage and state widow's benefits generally, see widow's pension and remarrying.
Bonus pensions and how the Scheme shares any surplus are covered on surplus sharing, and yearly rises on pension increases. Other schemes and private pensions are in the guide to pension death benefits.
Mineworkers pension bereavement questions
Who can help me deal with the paperwork?
The Scheme's administration team guides families through it, and CISWO, a charity for former miners and their families, can help gather proof of a relationship or a child's circumstances.
Does the Mineworkers pension stop when someone dies?
Yes. The Scheme stops the member's pension at the date of death. The Administrator then asks whoever is dealing with the member's affairs for any outstanding information before giving details of any benefits due.
Can I get a spouse's pension and the lump sum?
Yes, if the member died before starting their pension or within five years of it: the insert says that lump sum is paid on top of a spouse's pension.
Is the Mineworkers pension lump sum taxed?
For a spouse who gives up part of their pension for a lump sum, the insert says it is tax free if the member died before 75 and taxed if after.
Pension on death is one piece of a household budget. A free call-back can place it among the rest: the enquiry form here arranges one with an FCA-authorised adviser.