Different pensions have different death benefits
MoneyHelper explains that what happens after death depends on the pension type and scheme rules. A defined contribution pension may have money remaining; a defined benefit scheme describes death benefits rather than a pot to divide. An annuity’s provision depends on the features selected.
Ask each administrator what applies to that scheme, including any restrictions on who can receive particular benefits. Do not turn a possible dependant’s benefit or a named person in your notes into a confirmed payment.
Sources: MoneyHelper: What happens to my pension when I die?
Check what the form actually does
An expression of wish commonly tells trustees or a provider whom you would like to receive benefits. MoneyHelper explains that discretionary decisions and arrangements under which the scheme must follow a direction are different. Do not assume every form with “nomination” in its name has the same effect.
Nest illustrates why the provider’s wording matters: its expression of wish and nomination are different options with different decision-making rules. This is a Nest example, not a rule for every pension. Ask your own scheme to explain its process; this guide recommends neither option.
Completing a will or writing a name in an organiser is not evidence that a scheme has received the instruction it requires. Submit any instruction through the scheme’s verified process, then keep its acknowledgement securely.
Sources: MoneyHelper: What happens to my pension when I die?Nest: Expression of wish and nomination
Keep a review reminder, not private family details here
MoneyHelper recommends keeping wishes up to date when circumstances change. In your secure personal records, note which scheme process you used, when you last checked it and where its acknowledgement is kept. A missing acknowledgement remains a follow-up task.
All Pensions does not register or change beneficiaries. Do not enter names, contact details, relationships or identity documents for beneficiaries in the browser Passport. A checklist tick does not create an instruction or establish inheritance rights.
This guide does not determine who inherits, how much is payable, estate treatment or tax. Do not assume death benefits are automatically tax-free. Ask the scheme and, where needed, a qualified legal or tax adviser about the current rules and your circumstances.
- What form or process does this particular scheme require?
- Has the scheme acknowledged the instruction?
- When should you check that the recorded wishes still reflect your circumstances?
Sources: MoneyHelper: What happens to my pension when I die?
Sources & review
- MoneyHelper: What happens to my pension when I die?Checked 2026-10-04
- Nest: Expression of wish and nominationChecked 2026-10-04
Next scheduled review: 2027-01-04. Provider details can change sooner. Use the official website for the current contact route.
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