How divorce can affect your pension

If you are going through a divorce or dissolution, you may be asked to provide details about your pension.

We are able to provide this type of information to pensioner members at a cost. The initial divorce pack containing a Cash Equivalent Value (CEV) is charged at £500 plus VAT (£600 total). There are other associated charges for additional information, and for implementing a court order. Contact us directly to obtain a full charging schedule and details of how you can make payment.

This page explains what happens after a Pension Sharing Order (PSO) is granted.

Following a divorce, the outcome may be that a Pension Sharing Order (PSO) is issued by the court.

This document sets out what the court has decided will happen to your pension, including the amount that should be debited from your pension and awarded to your former spouse or civil partner. This will usually be a percentage figure.

To carry out the change, we require a full copy of the PSO, stamped by the court and the administration fee paid to us in full. The PSO will state who is liable for meeting this cost.

Once we receive this payment, we will make the adjustment to your pension and if applicable, advise you of the revised amount you will receive in pension payments going forward.

After the PSO has been instigated your former spouse or civil partner will have their own pension record held in their name. People who receive a portion of a pension following a PSO, are known as pension credit members.

Only they will be able to access the details of the pension credit account. We will write to the pension credit member separately to inform them of the value of their pension and their options for payment where applicable. Due to data protection, we will not be able to discuss any details relating to the pension credit account with you.

Your former spouse/civil partner will not be entitled to any survivors’ pension following the implementation of the PSO, should you die before them.

Any children’s pensions payable for eligible children will still be payable if applicable. Children's pensions will still be attached to your account, even if the PSO awarded your former spouse/civil partner 100% of your pension.

In some cases, there may also be a death grant payable. Find out more about what happens to your pension when you die.

If you have previously nominated your former spouse/civil partner to receive any death grant, you may wish to update this. Find out how to change your death grant nomination.

If less than 100% of your pension was awarded to your former spouse/civil partner and you remarry or enter into another civil partnership in the future, your pension could be subject to a further PSO.

Details of how to Contact us about your pension