Letter to a pension provider or employer after a death: free template

Written by Settle Editorial Team · Last reviewed 22 Oct 2026

Checked against GOV.UK guidance for England & Wales. The letter wording is the same as in the Probate Starter Pack.

Quick answer: Send this letter to each workplace or personal pension scheme the person belonged to, and to their employer if they were working. It asks for any final salary, pension payment, lump sum or death-in-service benefit, whether it is paid to the estate or to another beneficiary, its value at the date of death, the documents needed, and any overpayment to repay. GOV.UK says to tell any employer or private or workplace pension provider about the death, and to ask them to tell HMRC if there is a last salary or pension payment.

When to send it, and who to

Who it goes to. Each personal or workplace pension scheme, and the employer's HR or payroll team if the person was working.
Not the State Pension. Tell Us Once tells the DWP, which cancels the State Pension, and also contacts some public sector pension schemes. For personal and workplace pensions, GOV.UK says to contact each scheme yourself.
When. Soon after the death, so pension payments stop and any overpayment stays small.
Who sends it. The executor, the administrator if there is no will, or the person dealing with the estate. A spouse or partner can send it too.

The letter (free to copy)

Copy it into an email or a document, replace every [bracket] with your own details, and delete what doesn't apply.

Template 5 of 9 · Employer or pension provider

[Your name]
[Your address]
[Date]

[Pension scheme or employer name]
[Address]

Subject: Death of [name]: [employee / pension reference]

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to notify you that [name] died on [date]. Please confirm any final salary, pension payment, lump sum, death-in-service benefit or other amount due, whether it is payable to the estate or another beneficiary, its value at the date of death, and the documents you require. Please also confirm any overpayment that must be repaid.

Yours faithfully, [name]

Probate Starter Pack · £4.99

This is letter 5 of 9 in the Probate Starter Pack

The pack has all nine letters ready to personalise, along with the 25-step checklist and the Excel estate accounts workbook. A 44-page printable toolkit, instant download.

See what’s inside →

This page and the letter are free to use.

What to enclose

A copy of the death certificate (the scheme will say whether it needs a certified copy).
The pension or employee reference number, and the person's National Insurance number if you have it.
Your own contact details and your role: executor, administrator or next of kin.
The grant of probate, only if the scheme says a payment goes to the estate. Many pension death benefits are paid by the scheme directly to a beneficiary.

Don't send original documents unless the organisation specifically asks for them. Keep a copy of the version you actually sent, the date, the reference number and the reply.

Common mistakes

Assuming Tell Us Once told every pension. It contacts the DWP and only some public sector schemes; workplace and personal pensions need their own letter.
Forgetting old workplace pensions. Payslips, old statements and the free GOV.UK pension tracing service help you find each scheme.
Not asking about overpayments. Pension paid after the death may have to be repaid; the letter asks the scheme to confirm the amount.
Leaving out the value. Ask for the value at the date of death even if a lump sum goes straight to a beneficiary: GOV.UK lists a lump sum death benefit from a pension among the payments to value.

Frequently asked questions

Does Tell Us Once tell pension providers?

It tells the DWP, which deals with the State Pension, and some public sector pension schemes. GOV.UK says to contact personal and workplace pension schemes yourself.

How do I find a pension the person had?

Look at payslips, bank statements and old pension statements. The free GOV.UK pension tracing service finds contact details for a workplace or personal pension scheme.

Is a pension lump sum paid to the estate?

Often not. Many schemes pay death benefits directly to a beneficiary rather than through the estate. The letter asks whether the amount is payable to the estate or to another beneficiary.

Do pensions count for Inheritance Tax?

If the person died on or after 6 April 2027, most unused pension funds and death benefits count towards the estate for Inheritance Tax, even when paid directly to someone else. Death-in-service benefits and dependants' scheme pensions from defined benefit schemes are excluded.

Related guides

More free letter templates

Sources

General information for England and Wales, not legal advice. If the estate is complex, disputed or may not be able to pay its debts, take advice from a solicitor.