Widow/er’s Pension

Overview

A Contributory Widow/er’s Pension is granted to a person who meets the required conditions, as stipulated under the Social Security Act (Cap. 318.), after the death of a spouse, partner, or former spouse/partner.

For information regarding cross-border situations please click here.

What you’ll get

A Contributory Widow/er’s Pension is paid every four (4) weeks in advance.

A Contributory Widow/er’s Pension is due as from the day following the spouse’s/partner’s or ex-spouse/ex-partner’s date of death.There are three categories of Contributory Widow/er’s Pension:

NMWP – National Minimum Widow’s Pension, which is awarded if the deceased spouse/partner was receiving a National Minimum Retirement Pension.
ESRP – Early Survivors Pension, which is awarded if the deceased had not yet started receiving a retirement pension.
SRP – Survivors Pension, which is awarded if the deceased was already receiving a two-thirds retirement pension.

Please click here for a Schedule of Benefits Rates.

Eligibility

A widow or widower who has not yet reached retirement age may qualify for a Contributory Widow/er’s Pension if:

The deceased spouse/partner (or former spouse/partner) satisfied the minimum contribution requirements at the time of death.
The pension is paid in full, even if the widow/er works full-time.
If the widow/er remarries, a flat-rate pension applies instead.
A widow/er engaged in employment must pay Social Security Contributions if their earnings from their employment exceed the National Minimum Wage.
If earnings from employment are below the National Minimum Wage, the widow/er may choose not to pay contributions.
Working widow/er remain eligible for the pension. Since 2018, those with dependent minor children may also receive additional benefits such as Sickness Benefit.
Widow’s pension this year includes the €10 Budget increase (€4.66 COLA + €5.34 additional increase).
As from 2026, if beneficiaries of a Widow/er’s Pension have children under 18 or if still eligible for Children’s allowance is up to 23 years, the pension will increase by €20 per child, as outlined in Article 31B of the Social Security Act.

Survivor’s Pension When the Deceased Was Receiving a Contributory Pension

A widow/er below retirement age may be entitled to a proportion of the deceased’s pension:

Entitlement until 2021: Calculated as 5/9 of the deceased’s 2/3 pension (0.555555).
The Widow/er’s Pension Rate from 2022 onwards: Gradually increasing over six (6) years, reaching 0.64814 in 2026.
In case of a Remarriage: A widow/er who remarries may qualify for a remarriage widow’s pension, provided they were previously receiving a widow’s pension (Article 40).
Single rate payment of NMWP upon remarriage: The rate is calculated based on Part 3 average contributions.
In case of pre-2007 remarriages: Since 2013, for those who remarried before 2007 is eligible for the flat-rate widow’s pension.
In cases of subsequent remarriages: If a widow/er receiving a flat-rate pension remarries and the second spouse later dies, the more advantageous pension, that is that either for the first or second spouse, is awarded.
Where there are work-related deaths: If the spouse died due to a work-related accident, the widow/er receives at least the full flat rate.
General entitlement: Widow/er’s pension is payable regardless of children or employment status.

Working while receiving the Pension
Widow/er may work full-time or part-time and keep their pension:

Full-time employment: No employment-related bonuses are paid by DSS.
Part-time employment: Bonuses are paid on a pro-rata basis by the employer and any difference in bonuses is issued by the DSS.
Self-occupied: Statutory bonuses are paid directly by the DSS.
Since 1 January 2024, all Widow/er’s Pensions are exempt from taxation. As a result, any FSS tax deductions previously applied to the Widow/er’s Pension will no longer be withheld by the Department of Social Security.

Widow/er Reaching Retirement Age
A widow/er who is already receiving their own Contributory Pension may switch to a widow/er’s pension if:

The late spouse’s pension was at a higher rate: In this case the widow/er receives the full rate of the late spouse’s pension.
The late spouse’s pension was at a lower rate: In such cases the widow/er continues to receive their own current pension rate.

Documentation Required

In cases of separated persons: A signed and insinuated Separation Deed.
In cases of cohabitation:
– For registered cohabitations: A registered and insinuated Certificate of Cohabitation.
– For unregistered cohabitations during 2017 and 2020: Evidence of at least ten (10) years of cohabitation before the partner’s death is required.
In cases of a civil union: A registered and insinuated Civil Union Certificate.
Ensure that your banking details held by the Department of Social Security are updated to receive payments by direct deposit in a bank. The IBAN number should be a local savings or current account, but not a loan account. The indicated account must be in the name of the beneficiary only. It is never suggested to make use of a joint bank account, since when one the couple passes away, the bank automatically closes the bank account from their end. Banking details may be updated on mySocialSecurity.

How to apply

Once a death is registered with the Public Registry, Health Services, or the Department of Social Security, the DSS automatically begins assessing eligibility for a widow/er’s pension if applicable.

A Notification Letter may be sent to the prospective widow/er to request missing information, which generally is to confirm the IBAN for payment of the Widow/er’s Pension, which must be completed and returned to the Department of Social Security for continuation of the process, otherwise the process will be halted.

However, there are instances when a widow/er may need to submit an application themselves if:

The spouses were separated or have been re-married and no automatic notification is issued.
DSS records are outdated with regards to postal address, preventing delivery of the notification letter to confirm the IBAN.
The widow/er prefers to apply before receiving the notification letter.

The Notification Letter or the Widow/er’s Pension application must reach the DSS within six (6) months of the date of death of the late spouse/partner. If submitted later, the pension is awarded from the first Saturday after submission, not from the date of death.

In such cases the widow/er is to fill in and submit the application online.