1. Identify the family-pension category
DESW distinguishes ordinary family pension from Special Family Pension and Liberalised Family Pension. Ordinary family pension generally relates to natural death, while casualty-related categories depend on the circumstances and service attribution specified in the applicable rules.
2. Ordinary family pension rate
DESW’s current overview states that ordinary family pension is normally 30% of reckonable emoluments last drawn, subject to the applicable minimum and Government orders. Enhanced-rate family pension can apply in eligible cases under the governing rules; do not assume the normal 30% rate answers every case.
3. Special and liberalised family pension
DESW states that Special Family Pension is granted at 60% of reckonable emoluments last drawn where death is attributable to or aggravated by military service. Liberalised Family Pension is linked to specified war/war-like and operational death categories and is equal to reckonable emoluments last drawn under the stated framework. Entitlement must be established under the applicable casualty rules.
4. Check who is recorded in the PPO
Before a death claim arises, pensioners should check that spouse/family details in the pension record are correct. After death, the claimant should compare the PPO/family-pension authorisation with identity, relationship and bank records. A missing or incorrect family record can require correction/authorisation before payment.
5. Children and other eligible family members
Eligibility after the spouse can depend on the order of eligible family members and category-specific age, marital status, disability and income conditions. Do not assume every adult child or parent automatically qualifies. The applicable Pension Regulations and later Government orders must be checked for the claimant’s exact category.
6. Documents to keep ready
Typically keep the pensioner’s PPO/e-PPO and revisions, death certificate where applicable, claimant identity and bank details, proof of relationship, service/family records and any category-specific documents. Disability, dependency, marital-status or income evidence may be needed for certain beneficiaries.
7. Starting or transferring family pension
If family pension is already jointly/clearly authorised in the pension record, follow the current pension-disbursement/SPARSH procedure applicable to that record. If the claimant is not authorised or the record is incorrect, the case may need the concerned Service/Record Office or pension sanctioning authority to establish entitlement.
8. If family pension is not started
Check whether the problem is death reporting, beneficiary identity, bank/KYC, missing family details, entitlement authorisation or a pension-record mismatch. Ask for the exact deficiency and correct that item rather than repeatedly submitting the same documents.
9. Casualty-related denial or dispute
For Special/Liberalised Family Pension or another casualty award, attribution/aggravation and the applicable casualty entitlement rules are central. Use the current Entitlement Rules and the appeal mechanism applicable to the decision; do not treat it as an ordinary bank-payment dispute.
10. Processing time
There is no single safe disposal-time promise for all family-pension cases. Follow any timeline shown for the specific request and retain the acknowledgement, PPO and correspondence.
Frequently asked questions
Is every widow paid the deceased pensioner’s full pension?
No. Ordinary family pension has its own rate structure. Special and liberalised family pension are separate categories governed by their own conditions.
What is the normal ordinary family pension rate?
DESW’s current overview states 30% of reckonable emoluments last drawn, subject to the applicable minimum and other governing provisions.
Can children receive defence family pension?
Eligible children can receive family pension in the prescribed order and subject to the applicable age, marital status, disability, income and other category rules.
What if the spouse name is wrong or missing in the pension record?
Treat it as a pension/family-record correction or entitlement-authorisation issue and use the appropriate SPARSH/Service/Record Office route with supporting documents.
Official sources used
Checked against the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW) Types of Pensions, Pension Regulations, Compendium of Pension Regulations and Orders and Pension Circulars. For casualty awards, the applicable Entitlement Rules and later Government orders must be checked for the individual case.
Last reviewed: 10 September 2026.