The National Health Service Pension Scheme Regulations 2008

3.E.26    Guaranteed minimum pensions for surviving spouses and civil partners E+W

(1) If a person who is the surviving spouse or civil partner of a deceased active, deferred or pensioner member has a guaranteed minimum under section 17 of the 1993 Act in relation to benefits in respect of the deceased member under the Scheme—

(a) nothing in this Part permits or requires anything that would cause requirements made by or under that Act in relation to such a person and such a person’s rights under a scheme not to be met in the case of the person,

(b) nothing in this Part prevents anything from being done which is necessary or expedient for the purposes of meeting such requirements in the case of the person, and

(c) paragraph (2) is without prejudice to the generality of this paragraph.

(2) If apart from this regulation—

(a) no pension would be payable to the surviving spouse or civil partner under this Chapter, or

(b) the weekly rate of the pensions payable would be less than the guaranteed minimum,

a pension the weekly rate of which is equal to the guaranteed minimum is payable to the surviving spouse or civil partner for life or, as the case may be, pensions the aggregate weekly rate of which is equal to the guaranteed minimum are so payable.

(3) Paragraph (2) does not apply to a pension that is forfeited—

(a) as a result of a conviction for treason, or

(b) in a case where an offence within regulation 3.J.7(2)(b) (Official Secrets Acts offences) is committed.