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When someone dies, notifying NHS Pension is one of the key tasks for the executor or next of kin. This guide explains exactly who to contact, what to say, what documents you will need, and how long NHS Pension takes to process a bereavement notification.
NHS Pension bereavement contact details
Phone: 0300 330 1346 — Mon–Fri 7am–6:30pm, Sat–Sun 9am–3pm
Online: NHSBSA bereavements
Last verified: June 2026
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Call 0300 330 1346 (Mon–Fri 7am–6:30pm, Sat–Sun 9am–3pm) or use the online service at nhsbsa.nhs.uk. NHS Pensions is administered by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). If the member died in service, tell their employer, who will notify NHS Pensions. Post goes to NHS Pensions, PO Box 683, Unit 5, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE5 9EE.
You will need the deceased's NHS Pension membership number (on any pension correspondence), full name, date of birth, National Insurance number, and date of death. If the deceased had multiple NHS employments, these may all be under the same reference.
For a death in membership the lump sum is two times pay in every section — the best of the last three years' pensionable pay (1995), reckonable pay (2008), or the higher of two times relevant earnings in the last 12 months or two times revalued earnings from an earlier scheme year (2015). For a deferred member it is a multiple of the deferred pension (3x in 1995, 2.25x in 2008, 2.025x in 2015). For a member who had retired it is the lesser of five times the annual pension less pension already paid, or the death-in-membership figure less the lump sum already paid. HMRC rules require payment within two years of the death being notified in writing.
A spouse, civil partner, or nominated qualifying partner may be entitled to an adult dependant's pension. Children's pensions may also be payable. NHS Pensions will calculate and confirm entitlements.
Have multiple certified copies of the death certificate ready. Banks and financial institutions each require an original or certified copy — you cannot usually pass a single copy between organisations. See our guide to how many death certificates you need.
NHS Pension does not publish a processing time, so we do not give one. Ask when you notify them, and ask for a reference so you can chase it.
Accounts or services are usually frozen until the estate is administered, which means no new transactions can be authorised.
The NHS Pension Scheme has multiple sections (1995, 2008, 2015) with different rules, and most recent members have benefits in more than one. NHSBSA will identify the correct sections from the member's employment history. Note the inheritance tax position: NHSBSA says a lump sum on death is included in an IHT assessment if paid to the estate, a nominee or a qualifying scheme partner, and not included if paid to a spouse or registered civil partner. Adult dependant's and children's pensions do not form part of the estate.
Once NHS Pension receives your notification and confirms receipt, the account or service will be frozen and no new transactions will be authorised. Estate administration can then begin.
NHS Pension will confirm receipt of your notification and advise you of any next steps required to close or transfer the account or policy. Keep a record of all correspondence and reference numbers for the estate file.
Do not delay notifying NHS Pension
Direct debits and standing orders may continue to be charged after death. Some organisations treat the estate as the debtor for any charges incurred before notification. Notifying NHS Pension promptly protects the estate from unnecessary costs.
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