Civil Partnerships
The Civil Partnership Act 2004, came into effect from 5 December 2005. It allows same-sex couples to register a civil partnership. Among the rights given to a civil partner will be the right to benefits from their partner’s pension scheme. If you have a registered civil partner we will pay them a pension for their lifetime if you die. There is no paperwork to fill in initially - he or she is automatically covered simply because they are your civil partner.
If you die in service, we will work out the pension for your partner using your pay and an enhanced membership. In other words, all the membership of the LGPS you have built up so far, plus the membership you would have built up by age 65.
Civil partners will therefore have the same rights to survivors’ benefits as the widow or widower of a legal marriage.
There has been a recent change to the regulations that now allows all membership accrued in the scheme to be used in the calculation of survivor benefits for civil partners. Before this change only membership from 6 April 1988 counted towards civil partner's pensions.
You can find more information in a detailed booklet "Civil Partnership - Legal Recognition for same-sex couples.
Wiltshire Pension Fund, Wiltshire Council - Bythesea Road,Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 8JN.
© 2009 Wiltshire Pension Fund.
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