A relative has died

If the deceased was entitled to benefits or compensations paid by the "Sodra", they would be paid to the successor if they had not yet been paid out. The amount of the benefit - 320€. In this case:

• It is checked whether the data on the death of the pension recipient of is recorded in the Population Register. If there is no data, the person who has buried the pension recipient must submit one of the following documents together with the application:
  • the original of the medical certificate of death if the person died after 1 January 2017 or the original of the death certificate if the person died before 31 December 2016;
  • a document certifying death issued by foreign institutions if the deceased pension recipient is not a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania and his death is not recorded in the Population Register of the Republic of Lithuania (irrespective of the date of death).
• Relatives, neighbours of the deceased persons or other natural persons can record the fact of death or it can be recorded by a healthcare institution or a police.
• If a person has died due to occupational accidents or occupational disease, his or her relatives may claim the appropriate social insurance benefits.
• A spouse, minors or disabled children and adopted children may apply to the "Sodra" for the award of a widow's/widower‘s and orphan's pension.

   Documents issued by foreign authorities must be translated into Lithuanian and legalised or certified (Apostille).

A sum of a pension and/or compensation for the month of death (unless it has already been paid), and a one month’s worth of granted pension and/or compensation is paid to the person organizing the funeral (burial) of the recipient of a pension or compensation for special working conditions upon his death. The Pension and/or compensation is paid no later than in 3 business days from addressing the institution. Other pension sums, calculated for the recipient of the pension, which belonged to him and which he did not receive to the fact of death, are paid to the inheritors of the deceased recipient of pensions, who receive the property of the deceased person according to the order of inheritance, and who must provide the inheritance rights certificate, or/and to the still living spouse of the deceased recipient of pensions, who should provide the certificate for the ownership rights for the part of general (common) property of the spouses.

In case the deceased person has been an official or a military person pension recipient, the first person who addresses the institution regarding his burial is paid a sum of the unreceived pension of the deceased person for the last month, the pension for the month when the recipient of the pension has died and a his pension for the next month. Other officials’ and military personnel state pension sums, belonging to the deceased person, which such person did not receive due to death, are paid out to the inheritors of the deceased person are paid to the inheritors of the deceased recipient of pensions, who receive the property of the deceased person according to the order of inheritance, and who must provide the inheritance rights certificate, or/and to the still living spouse of the deceased recipient of pensions, who should provide the certificate for the ownership rights for the part of general (common) property of the spouses.

In case the recipient of the pension has died, you should address any “Sodra” department and provide an application.

The application with the bank account number of the person (if a natural person is providing the application) or a legal person (if the application is provided by a company providing funeral services). This application can be provided:

1. Via internet, by connecting to your personal “Sodra” citizen’s account.
2. By coming to a “Sodra” department.

Whenever a recipient of a motherhood, fatherhood, childcare, occupational rehabilitation or unemployment benefit dies, the inheritors are paid the sum of money, which belonged to the deceased person and has not been collected by him.

The inheritors should address “Sodra” and provide the following documents:

1. An application to pay out the benefits, which belonged to the deceased but were not paid out.
2. A personal identification document of the person.
3. A certificate of inheritance rights.

  The decision on the payment of the benefit will be made in 30 calendar days from the receipt of all needed documents by a “Sodra” department.

• If you are a widow/widower, click here.
• If you are an orphan, click here.

If the insured person dies as a result of the accident at work, on the way to or from work which has been recognized as an insured event, or due to an acute occupational disease, his:

• children (adopted children) under 18 years of age;
• children (adopted children) under 24 years of age who attend educational institutions and are trained under general education or formal vocational curricula or studying under the full-time study program;
• children (adopted children) older than 18 years if they have been recognized as disabled until they turned 18 - as long as they are incapacitated or partially capable of work;
• child (children) of the deceased who was (were) born not more than 300 days after his death;
• spouse or father (mother), adoptive father (adoptive mother) of the deceased, irrespective of the age and ability to work, if he (she) does not work and takes care of the children (adopted children), grand-children, brothers or sisters of the deceased until they will turn 8;
• spouse may receive the benefit for the rest of his life if he has reached retirement age;
• spouse if he has been declared incapacitated or partially capable of work - as long as he is incapacitated or partially capable of work;
• other incapacitated or partially capable of work persons or those having reached retirement age who were dependent on the deceased or who should have received maintenance of the insured person on the day of his death (the fact of maintenance or of the rights to maintenance of these persons is determined by a court decision, and the fact of their incapacity for work is determined by a decision of the Disability and Working Capacity Assessment Office (DWCAO) or of the court);

are entitled to the periodic insurance benefit.

The periodic insurance benefit after the death of the insured person is calculated on the basis of the insured income of the deceased person, as a half of the product of the incapacity for work factor (d), the compensation factor (k) and of 77.58% of the national average wages (D) valid for the month in which the compensation is paid, i.e. under the formula 0.5 x d x k x 0.7758 x D, where:

d – the incapacity for work factor, which in case of the death of the insured person is equal to 1;

k – the compensation factor in case of an accident at work, on the way to or from work or of an acute occupational disease - the ratio of the person's average monthly insured income in the last 12 consecutive months, counting backwards from the end of the calendar month that was before the previous calendar month, which was before the month when the accident at work, on the way to or from work, or an acute occupational disease was determined, with the average national monthly wages of the quarter that was before the previous quarter that is valid at the time of the determination of the accident at work, on the way to or from work or an acute occupational disease. The compensation factor may not be less than 0.25 and not more than 3;

D – the average national monthly wages as defined in the Law on State Social Insurance of the Republic of Lithuania.

The amount of the calculated benefit is divided by the number of beneficiaries increased by one and is paid in equal portions to each of them.

For example, the spouse of the deceased and his two minor children have the right to be paid a periodic insurance benefit after the death of the insured person, which is 800 EUR. So, although there are three beneficiaries (the amount calculated is divided by 3+1), each of them will be granted the benefit amounting to 200 EUR (800 EUR/4).

The compensation in the amount obtained is paid to every person entitled to it, regardless of other income of the beneficiary.

After the death of the insured person, the periodic insurance benefit is paid every month for the previous month.

Important! If you are paid the social insurance widows' or orphans' pension for the same insured event, then the widows' or orphans' pension will be deducted from the periodic insurance benefit that has been granted after the death of the insured person and only the difference of these benefits will be paid. 

“Sodra” has to be contacted for the periodic insurance benefit after the death of the insured person and an Application (in lithuanian) for the benefit after the death of the insured person has to be submitted. This can be done:

• Online, after having logged in to the personal “Sodra” account of the resident;
• By post. The application form can be found here (in lithuanian). When the application is sent by post, it must be accompanied by a copy of the personal identity document certified in accordance with the procedure established by law (for example, by the Notary Public);
• In “Sodra” division. You must:
  • have the personal identity document;
  • know the data of the personal account to which the benefit will be transferred.

The benefit must be applied for within 3 years from the date on which entitlement to this benefit arose.

If the benefit is applied for after a period of 3 years, the benefit for the past time is paid for 12 months, counting back from the date of application if it has not been granted to other beneficiaries.

If the person having the right to be paid the periodic insurance benefit after the death of the insured person applies for it after it has been granted to other persons, the periodic insurance benefit is recalculated and is paid to all beneficiaries from the first day of the month following the month in which the last application has been received.

For example, the benefit for one of the children of the deceased has been granted from 15 September 2019, and the other child has applied for the benefit only on 10 April 2020. The benefit will be recalculated and the second child will be paid it from 1 May 2020. 

After the death of the insured person as a result of the accident at work, on the way to or from work which has been recognized as an insured event, or due to an acute occupational disease, the family members of the deceased are paid the one-off insurance benefit. 

• The spouse;
• the minor children (adopted children) under 18 years of age;
• the children and adopted children under 24 years of age if they are full-time students or are trained under general education or formal vocational curriculums of educational institutions;
• the children or adopted children older than 18 years if they have been recognized as disabled until they turned 18;  
• the children who were born not more than 300 days after the death of the deceased;
• the father (adoptive father) and the mother (adoptive mother)

of the deceased are considered his family members.

The one-off insurance benefit after the death of the insured person is equal to 46.55 amounts of the national average wages that were in force in the month of death due to an accident at work, on the way to or from work or an acute occupational disease. This benefit is paid in equal parts to each family member of the deceased.

“Sodra” has to be contacted for the one-off insurance benefit after the death of the insured person.

Each family member has to apply individually for the one-off insurance benefit after the death of the insured person.

The one-off insurance benefit after the death of the insured person has to be applied for not later than within 3 months from the date when the accident at work, on the way to or from work or an acute occupational disease has been recognized as an insured event.

After the death of the beneficiary of the first-degree or second-degree state pension, the state widow’s and orphan’s pension is awarded to the beneficiary’s spouse and children or adopted children if they are the citizens of the Republic of Lithuania.

The state widow’s pension is if the widow or widower:

• has reached the retirement age or has been declared incapable of work or partially capable of work before the death of the spouse or within 5 years of his or her death;
• raises the children or adopted children of the deceased under 18 years of age (under 19 years of age if the children or adopted children attend school);
• nurses at home the children or adopted children of the deceased for whom 75–100% of incapacity for work has been established, if they have been diagnosed as disabled before they reached 18 years of age;
• has reached the retirement age or has been declared incapable of work or partially capable of work at the time of raising the children or adopted children of the deceased under the age of 18 years (under 19 years of age if the children or adopted children attend school);
• has reached the retirement age or has been declared incapable of work or partially capable of work at the time when he or she was nursing at home the children or adopted children of the deceased who lost 75 to 100% of working capacity and who have been diagnosed as disabled before they reached 18 years of age;
• had no children with the deceased spouse, but at least 5 years elapsed from the registration of the marriage to the date of the death of the spouse.

If there is no spouse, the widow's pension may be awarded to the caregiver or guardian who raises the children or adopted children of the deceased under 18 years of age (under 19 years of age if the children or adopted children attend school) or is nursing at home the disabled children or adopted children of the deceased (who lost 75 to 100% of working capacity), if they have been diagnosed as disabled before they reached 18 years of age.

The state widow’s pension amounts to 20% of the state pension to which the deceased was entitled.

The payment of the state widow's pension is terminated if:

• the widow or widower gets married once again;
• the person who has been declared incapacitated becomes capable of work. If the person is once again declared incapacitated or partially capable of work not later than within 3 years from the termination of the payment of the state widow's pension, then the person retains entitlement to the state widow’s pension;
• the widow or widower is found guilty by a court judgment of an intentional crime against the deceased for whom he or she has been awarded the pension 
• the widow or widower no longer nurses at home the disabled child or adopted child of the deceased, if the payment was linked to this condition;
• when the beneficiary loses the citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania.

“Sodra” must be notified of the changed circumstances within 10 days from the date of their occurrence. Otherwise, the resulting pension overpayment will be recovered.

The state orphan’s pension is awarded if the children or adopted children of the deceased are:

• under 18 years of age;
• under 24 years of age if they are students;
• are older than 18 years, but have been declared incapacitated or partially capable of work until they turned 18. They are paid the pension for the entire period of the disability

if the children or adopted children of the deceased are adopted, they may continue receiving the state orphan’s pension.

The payment of the orphan’s pension is terminated:

• when the beneficiary loses the citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania;
• when the beneficiary regains the working capacity, if the payment of the pension was linked to the disability;
• if the orphan no longer attends school or is no longer a student, if the payment was linked to school training or studies.

“Sodra” must be notified of the changed circumstances within 10 days from the date of their occurrence. Otherwise, the resulting pension overpayment will be recovered.

• The state orphan’s pension amounts to 30% of the state pension to which the deceased was entitled.
• If there are more orphans, each of them is awarded equally, but not more than 30% each, and the total pension awarded to the orphaned children cannot exceed 80% of the amount of the state pension that was paid to the deceased.
• If there are no persons who are awarded the state widow’s pension, each of the orphans is awarded equally, but not more than 30% each, and the total amount of the pensions paid to the orphans cannot exceed 100% of the amount of the state pension to which the deceased was entitled.

The Chairman of the Pension Commission for First and Second Degree Pension Awards of the Republic of Lithuania or the Deputy Chairman authorized by the Commission Chairman takes the decision on awarding the state widow's and orphan's pension.

In case of death of a first or second degree state pension recipient, his/her spouse, children or stepchildren who are citizens of the Republic of Lithuania can apply to receive a state widow’s or orphan’s pension. They need to provide the following documents to the nearest “Sodra” department:

• An application to be granted the state widow’s or orphan’s pension.
• A personal identification document (passport, personal identification card, birth certificate).
• A document, specifying the applicant’s permanent residential place (a certificate of a person’s declared residential place in the Republic of Lithuania, a certificate for the inclusion in the accounting of people with no place of residence, a certificate regarding a person’s declared residential place in a foreign country (in case the person is residing in a foreign country) or any other document, confirming the place of residence abroad), if these documents are not at the Population Register of the Republic of Lithuania.
• A copy of the death certificate, if this document is not at the Population Register of the Republic of Lithuania.
• Documents, confirming the kinship with the deceased (a copy of the certificate of marriage, copies of the birth certificate of the orphans or a court decision establishing the kinship, etc.) if this data is not available in the Population Register of the Republic of Lithuania.
• A certificate regarding the other benefits granted to the person from the state budget, if they are paid by agencies (institutions) other than “Sodra”.
• Disability and work capacity certificates issued by the Disability and working capacity assessment office (NDNT) (certificate of disability, issued by the State social examination commission prior to 1 January 2005), if the pensions is claimed by a deceased person’s spouse who has not reached a old-age pension, or a child/stepchild over the age of 18 years who is not studying and his/her right to receive the state orphan’s pension is related to disability.
• A certificate issued by the educational institution if the pensions is claimed by a studying child or stepchild of the deceased person.
• A document confirming the determination of custody or care and the appointment of a person as a guardian or caretaker if the person applying for the pension is appointed as a guardian or carer of a deceased person’s child or stepchild.

The request and all additional documents should be provided to “Sodra”. These documents will be transferred to the Ministry of Social security and Labour in a 5 day term.

The decision regarding the granting of the state orphan’s or widow’s pension is made by the Chief of the first and second degree state pension appointment committee or his authorized deputy not later than in 20 business days from the receipt of all needed documents at the Ministry of Social security and Labour.

The person is informed of the decision not later than in 10 business days after it has been made.

In the case of death of a person receiving a victim’s state pension, his/her spouse and underage children can receive the victim’s state orphan and widow pensions.

The victim’s state widow’s pension can be received by the widows and widowers, who:

• Have reached the old-age pension age.
• Were recognized as a person with a lost or partial capacity for work prior to the death of the spouse or during 5 years after his/her death.
• Takes care of the children or stepchildren of the deceased person up to 18 years of age or 19 years of age if they are studying at school or a professional education institution.
• Are nursing the deceased person’s children or stepchildren with a 75-100% loss of capacity for work (1^st disability group prior to 1 July 2005) at their home, in case they were recognized as disabled (prior to 1 July 2005 – recognized as invalids) prior to them becoming 18 years of age.
• Have reached old-age pension age or were recognized as incapable of work or partially capable of work (had recognized invalidity prior to 1 July 2005) when they were upbringing the deceased person’s children or stepchildren aged up to 18 years of age or 19 years of age if they are studying at school or a professional education institution or were nursing the deceased person’s children or stepchildren with a 75-100% loss of capacity for work (1^st disability group prior to 1 July 2005) at their home, in case the disability was determined (prior to 1 July 2005 – recognized as invalids) prior to them becoming 18 years of age.
• Did not have any children with the deceased spouse, but a period of at least 5 years passed since the day of the registration of the marriage prior to the death of the spouse.
• Irresponsible of age, in case no other marriage is concluded, for the widows of the persons deceased due to the 11-13 January 1991 aggression and events after that.

The victim’s orphans state pension can be received by the following relatives of the deceased recipient of the victim’s pension:

• Children (stepchildren) up to 18 years of age.
• Children older than 18 years of age with a disability (stepchildren), in case they were recognized as disabled persons (invalids, as of prior to 1 July 2005) prior to being 18 years of age and are incapable or have a partial capacity for work for the whole period since becoming 18 years old (disabled people).
• Children (stepchildren) up to 24 years of age, in case they are general or higher education and professional school full time students and pupils.

The state victim widow’s pension size is 20 percent of the state pension for victims, which was granted to the deceased person.

The state victim orphan’s pension size is 30 percent of the state pension for victims, which was granted to the deceased person.

If there are more than one orphan, each of them is granted an equal share, but not more than 30 percent of the victim’s state pension size, and the general amount for all orphans cannot exceed 80 percent from the size of the state pension granted to the deceased person.

In case there is no spouse, who could receive the victim’s state widow’s pension, each of the orphan’s receive an equal share, but no more than 30 percent of the amount of the victim’s state pension granted to the deceased person, and the general payment to the orphans cannot exceed 100 percent from the size of the state pension granted to the deceased person.

In case a person dies, who was granted the victim’s state pension taking in account that he lost 45-55 percent of his capacity to work (2^nd disability group prior to 1 July 2005), it is held that the deceased person was granted the victim’s state pension, as a person who has lost 60-70 percent of his capacity for work (equal to the 2^nd disability group prior to 1 July 2005), when deciding the size of the pension, granted to widows and orphans.

In case the deceased person has not been granted with a victim’s state pension, it is held that in 2020 the deceased has been granted a 93,09 Euro (1,5 state pension base) pension, when deciding the size of the pension, granted to widows and orphans.

The payment of the state widow’s pension is terminated when the widow or widower, re-marries.

The victim’s orphans’ state pension is paid to the orphaned children until they reach the age of 18 or 24 years of age. They also receive the pension whenever they are adopted by a different person.