AFTER THE DEATH OF A PENSIONER/FAMILY PENSIONER

 Daughter of GT Chelliah remained unmarried to lookafter

her father.  She will get family pension after her father.

AFTER THE DEATH OF A PENSIONER/FAMILY PENSIONER

Normally, if a pensioner dies his wife immediately claims family pension.  But when a family pensioner dies, many people think that the chapter is closed.  It is not so in all cases.  Time has changed.  The entitlement of family pension not necessarily ends with the death of the family pensioner.

It depends upon the type of family pension, the living conditions of the dependant parents and children.  If a family pensioner dies leaving behind a child below 25 years, the child will be eligible for family pension.  Similarly physically or mentally challenged children are entitled for family pension for life.  Unmarried/divorced daughters are also entitled for family pension for life.

In case of death of a Special Family Pensioner, Second life award of SFP to the arents (i.e. after the death of the original recipient) and in the absence of parents, to the eligible brothers/sisters is permissible.  Second life award will be at the rate of 50% of the SFP.

Similarly second life award is also admissible in Liberalised Family pension also.  Therefore it is very important that all the legal heirs of the defence pensioners and family pensioners should make sure about the availability of various pension benefits to the legal heirs.

They should preserve the death certificate and legal heirship certificate of the deceased defence pensioner.  The status of the family can change any time, which may enable any of the legal heirs to claim defence family pension on a later date.