What Happens To Pension?

[MTbowels]

My dad worked for many years for a privately-owned steel company and contributed to their pension scheme. The company went bust in late eighties and a company took over the pension scheme. My dad was paid monthly on reaching retirement by the Pension Administrators.

Following my dad's death in 2010, the pension was made payable to my mum. She died in 2013 and the money has accrued in her bank account.

I, as the only remaining child of my parents, was granted probate on my mother's estate. As I'm in poor health, I've not got around to notifying the pension administrators nor the bank of my mum's death.

My question is, what becomes of the outstanding pension held by the pension trustees/administrators? Does it become part of my late mother's estate? Is it repayable to myself? I've got all the probate documentation, birth/marriage certificates and both Will's in my possession.

Thank you.

[bednobs]

why would there be any pension outstanding held by the trustees? The suvivor benfits cease when the survivor dies (usually) and it is very unusual (unless the child is under 18) to pass to children.
Wont you just need to pay all tmoney back since your mum died and they'll use it for other people?

[ToraToraTora]

It looks like your dad's pension also continued to your mum, when she died it would have ended regardless of whether it was money purchase (annuity) or final salary. In ether case there is no "outstanding pension". They also have a right to have all the money they paid after her death returned. When you notify them of here death they will demand the money that has been overpaid.

[woofgang]

yup, unless the pension t and c says otherwise, pension ceases on death of spouse and any overpayment must be returned.

[EDDIE51]

Yes , all the pension that has been paid since your Mum's death has to be repaid to the insurance company. Failure to inform them of the death could be regarded as fraud. The bank must also be informed, a dead person can not have a bank account. If you had informed them of the death the bank would have done most of the work informing people like the pension company.
What about your Mum's state pension is that still being paid into the bank?
If so you must inform the DWP as well , unless you start doing something you will end up in a lot of trouble, as I said you could be charged with fraud! They are not going to be happy that they have been paying a pension for over a year after the death.

[THECORBYLOON]

DWP may have been informed by the Registrar as part of the Tell Us Once service as long as the OP telt them the mother's NI Number.