Benefits if I die – DB Section

Receiving a pension from the Plan will mean that you qualify for other benefits provided within the arrangement. These include benefits payable in the event of your death.

In the event of your death, a pension may be payable to a surviving spouse, same sex or civil partner.

It should be noted that the Trustee of the Plan has discretion to pay a smaller amount in the following circumstances:

  • Your spouse, same sex or civil partner is more than 10 years younger than you; or
  • You leave another dependant and the Trustee decides to pay part of the pension to the other dependant (although there are rules regarding contracted -out benefits).

If you have no legal spouse (of either sex) or registered civil partner, you may nominate a person to be considered to receive the spouse’s pension in the event of your death if they are dependant if that benefit exists in the DB section you are a member of. If you wish to do this, please complete an Expression of Wish form, which can be found on the TotalEnergies UK Pension Plan portal. By law, the Trustees can only pay the pension to that person if they were dependent on you at the time of your death either financially or because of disability or because their relationship with you was one of interdependence.

If you do leave a legal spouse (of either sex) or registered civil partner, then the Trustees must pay a minimum pension (as required by contracting-out regulations) to your spouse, the remainder (if any) may be paid to your dependent.

A children’s allowance may be payable while any child of yours is under age 18 and in full time education (or age 23 if in full‑time education).

If you die before five years’ pension payments have been made and you weren’t in receipt of an ill-health pension, the balance of the five-year payments (at the rate in force at the date of death) will be payable as a lump sum. If you have enough Lifetime Allowance (LTA) left at the time of your death to cover the cash sum, it will be paid tax–free. If you think you won’t have sufficient LTA, then you should consult your financial adviser.