FAQs related to the death of a Social Security Beneficiary

1. What should be done in case of a person’s death in Malta?

Anyone can register a death that took place in Malta and this can be done in person at one of the Public Registry offices. During such visit, the deceased’s identity card would have to be returned. Thus, it is advisable for relatives / friends of the deceased to make a copy of the identity card.

2. What should be done when a Social Security beneficiary passes away?

One should submit a copy of the original death or burial certificate online to the Department of Social Security or visit the nearest servizz.gov hub. The death can be reported by anyone, provided that the original death certificate or burial certificate is available.

3. What are the consequences of failing to report the death of a Social Security beneficiary?

Failing to report the death of a Social Security beneficiary can have serious consequences.

• Social security benefits paid by direct credit in the deceased’s bank account or cheques cashed after the beneficiary’s death are not due and must be refunded to the Department of Social Security (DSS) by the spouse or heirs.
• Continue to cash payments of a deceased person is a crime and leads to prosecution.
• Failing to report a death may lose the right to potential survivors the eligibility for a widow’s pension.

4. What is the first step to apply for Social Security survivor benefits?

Reporting a death is the initial step. The subsequent step is the widow/er’s pension notification issued by the DSS, which requires the provision of an IBAN account number that belongs solely to the surviving spouse.

5. What happens if the date of death coincides with a payment of Social Security Benefits?

If the date of death coincides with the payment date, no overpayment is created. However, if the beneficiary received a payment after the date of death or any later months, that payment is considered as an overpayment and would have to be refunded to the DSS by the spouse or heirs.

6. What happens to a married pension rate if a spouse passes away?

If the spouse of the pensioner passes away, the pension rate is converted to a single person. However, the pension rate does not change in some cases.

7. Can the heirs request to receive the balance of Social Security Benefits?

Any outstanding arrears due to the deceased beneficiary can be claimed by the heirs by filling in and submitting the application online.