Rule 19

Death Benefit

Benefit Payable
1. On the death of a member who had joined theUnion before reaching the age of 65 and who had not previously qualified to receive Retirement Benefit specified in Rule 18, a Death grant of £600 shall be paid, subject to the requirements of this Rule being complied with. This Clause does not apply to members of the Shipping Grades referred to in Clause 2 or, in the circumstances referred to in Clause 2A, to Offshore & Energy Members.

Entitlement to benefit

2. On the death of:

Shipping Grades
(a) a member of the Shipping Grades who on the effective date had been a member of the National Union of Seamen and was five years or less from the relevant age of retirement specified in Clause 1 of this Rule, or
(b) a member of the National Union of Seamen who had already retired on or before the effective date.

the sum of £200 shall be paid to the person or persons nominated to receive it or, if no nomination has been made, to the nearest relative. The sum of £70 shall be paid in respect of the death of such a member’s spouse, provided in both cases the death occurred after the member’s retirement.

Offshore and Shipping Grades
2A. On the death in service of a member of theOffshore & Energy and Shipping Grades, who was immediately prior to the effective date of the transfer of engagements from the Offshore Industry Liaison Committee to the Union a member of that Committee within five years of that effective date, the sum of £3,300 will be paid in accordance with Clause 4.

Application
3. Application for benefit shall be made on the form provided by the Union for that purpose, and must be accompanied by a certificate of death, or other legally acceptable document.

Nomination of Person
4. Unless a member has nominated a person to receive the benefit as provided by statute, it shall be payable as follows:­

(a) If the deceased member leaves a Will naming an executor, the benefit shall be paid to that executor whose receipt shall be a complete discharge for same;

(b) If the deceased member leaves a Will in which no executor is named or if the executor predeceases the member, the benefit shall be paid to the person nominated in that respect in the Will, and for this purpose a residuary or universal legatee shall be deemed to be the person so nominated;

(c) If no person is nominated and there is no executor the benefit shall be payable to the member’s surviving spouse. If the surviving spouse dies before receiving payment, or is under legal disability, or if the General Secretary has not been able to communicate with the party concerned, the benefit shall be paid or applied to or for the benefit of the surviving spouse or her or his representatives or family or paid to a relative of the deceased member in such manner as may in any particular case be determined by the General Secretary;

(d) If the deceased member dies intestate as to the benefit and there is no surviving spouse, the benefit shall be paid to the person whom the General Secretary determines is the nearest relative. If there is more than one person in the same class of nearest relationship, the benefit shall be paid to one of those persons as the General Secretary may determine.

No Known relatives
5. In the event of a member dying without known relations, the Branch Officials shall instruct an undertaker to make interment arrangements, so far as the amount stated shall cover, and the benefit shall be applied towards payment of the expenses of the funeral.

Benefit Paid Only Once ‑6. When the benefit has been paid once to any person whomsoever, no claim by any person on any account whatever to receive or participate in the benefit shall be capable of being entertained and under no circumstances shall the benefit be payable twice upon the death of one member.

Appeal
7.  In the event of the General Secretary refusing anapplication for the death grant the deceased member’s Branch shall be advised of the reason. The Branch may, on behalf of the member, appeal to the National Executive Committee.