PSS spouse pension benefit
On the death of a retired PSS member, a spouse pension is payable only to an eligible person (which includes a de facto partner and may include a same gender partner) and only where the scheme member elected to receive a pension. The partial commutation of a member's pension reduces a spouse's pension entitlement on a proportional basis, e.g. if 50% of a pension member's pension is commuted, the spouse is entitled to 50% of the spouse pension. A spouse or de facto partner's pension is not payable where the member exchanged the whole of their pension entitlement for a lump sum.
Please refer to PSS Fact Sheet 6: Death benefits for more information.