Thank you for your request for information about the following:

Request

I wish to know the following [for the date range 01/01/2022 - 30/06/2025]:

5. Percentage of claims for death in service that have not been claimed by the family or heir

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 15 July 2025.

We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

Our response

Question 1 - The amount of FTE employees in each department per quarter during the timescale against the full head count target
Please see the below FTE count broken down by department as of 31 July 2025.
Pension Contact Hub: 237.30
Pensions Customer Operations: 567.41
Total: 824.71

Question 2 - The sickness levels as a percentage per dept over each quarter in the timescale
I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds the information you have requested and a copy of the information and notes explaining it is attached.

Please read the below notes to ensure correct understanding of the data.

These are the totals across all of pensions, we are unable to split this down due to the fluidity of the teams of the period requested.

Question 3 - any plans at board and senior management levels to reduce sickness and their success
I am writing to advise you that following a search of our paper and electronic records, I have established that the information you requested is not held by the NHSBSA. The average sickness levels are not such that board intervention/reduction measures are deemed necessary.

Question 4a - The average wait time for staff to receive pension estimates during the period
The average number of days to provide an estimate between 1 January 2022 and 30June 2025 is 22 days. This is between the Request Notification date, and the Estimate Completion date, for all estimates completed within the period.

Question 4b - The average wait time from your receipt of aw8 form to formal letter and figures being provided to inform them of the amounts
The average number of days to issue an award letter following receipt of an AW8 form between January 2022 and 30 June 2025 is 14 days. This is between the AW8 processing date, and the Award implementation date, for all AW8 forms processed in the period.

Question 4c – The average wait time from AW8 to full payment
The average number of days to make a pension payment following receipt of an AW8 form between January 2022 and 30June 2025 is 52 days. This is between the AW8 processing date, and the next earliest pension pay date, for all AW8 forms processed in the period.

Question 4d – The average wait time for all death in service benefits during the period
The average number of days to issue a Death Gratuity lump sum following notification of a death in service between 1 January 2022 and 30 June 2025 is 125 days. This is between the death notification date, and the Death Gratuity implementation date, for all members who died in service within the period.

Question 5 - Percentage of claims for death in service that have not been claimed by the family or heir
The percentage of members who have died in service between 1 April 2022 and 30 June 2025, who have not had a Death Gratuity Lump Sum issued to the respective spouse or estate is 17.06%.

Time elapsed from AW8 processing is not indicative of performance; performance measures are based on receipt of all relevant information, not receipt of initial AW8.

Time elapsed from AW8 processing to next pension payment date, does not reflect when the award was processed; an AW8 can be submitted up to 3 months early, and once processed will not be paid until the award payable date.

Some members may already be in receipt of some benefits at the time the AW8 is received; for this request, the time elapsed is measured to the next payment date following the AW8 receipt to prevent negative counting of averages.

Only AW8 forms – submitted by employers for retirements from active service – are assessed. AW8P forms are not included.

Time is measured against pension payment date; this does not include any potential lump sums which might be paid.

For question 4d and 5, only members who died in service (active) are assessed. Those who died on pension or on deferment are excluded.

Only time to make payment of Death Gratuity Lump Sum is assessed; payment of partner pension and/or any child dependant benefits (of which there may be multiple in payment or awaiting more information) is not assessed.

Payment of Death Gratuity Lump Sum is dependent upon receipt of payee recipient details.

Data Queries

Please contact foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk ensuring you quote the above reference if you have any specific questions regarding this response; or, if you feel you may be misunderstanding or misinterpreting the information; or, if you plan on publishing the data.

Reusing the data and copyright

If you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data, please contact communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is subject to NHSBSA copyright. This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence detailed at:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Should you wish to re-use the information you must include the following statement: “NHSBSA Copyright 2025”. Failure to do so is a breach of the terms of the licence.

Information you receive which is not subject to NHSBSA Copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. Please obtain their permission before reproducing any third party (non NHSBSA Copyright) information.