Hi All,
A friend of mine on a C permit has a husband who is sadly terminally ill with cancer. He is also on a C permit. They have been living on social payments and the husband's AHV payments (he was retired with not much of a pension pot). She wanted to know if her husband's AHV payments can be paid to her following his death. She does not have any other source of income in this country. Any knowledge or advice on this would be much appreciated.

I’m fairly sure my mother in law didn’t get her husbands pension when he died. Has she not been paying her own AHV contributions, I thought you had to even if not working?

Sorry to hear about their circumstances. It may also be a good idea to get some legal advise in this matter.

Here's a short explanation:
https://www.ch.ch/en/pensions-for-th...e-and-children

and here's a broschure explaining how Survivor's Pensions work:
https://www.ahv-iv.ch/p/3.03.e

Edit: Mullhollander is fastrnme!

This AHV brochure "OASI survivor's pensions" should answer your question (English):

"Widows’ pensions
1 As a married woman, when will I be entitled to a widow’s pension?
If you are married and your spouse has died, you will be entitled to a widow’s pension if
• At the time when you lose your spouse you have one or more children (of any age). Children of the deceased spouse living in the same house-hold who are entitled to an orphan’s pension as a result of the spouse’s death also count as children. The same applies to foster children pre-viously cared for by your spouse if you subsequently adopt them, or
• If you are 45 or older at the time when you lose your spouse and had been married for at least five years. Your years of marriage will be added together if you have been married several times."

https://www.ahv-iv.ch/p/3.03.e

Your friend will need to complete a form 318.371 called "Survivors pension application form", which is available online in English:

https://form.zas.admin.ch/orbeon/fr/...318_371_v4/new

Thank you so much all, @Mullhollander, this lady is over 50 years old, and has been married to her husband for over 5 years (10 years). So it seems she may qualify right based on this? Or am I missing something.

They have no children together and none of their children from previous marriages live in the same household.

Sounds like she’s eligible (or will be). But if he has a small pension now, she probably won’t get the max amount. It’s not much anyway 956.– to
1912.–

If they are already on social support is she not able to continue with that as well? Would she be able to get a part time job in the future on top of the survivors pension?

I am truly sorry for your friend & her husband, what a horrible situation to face.

Has he retired due to age or because of his illness?

If the latter is the case I would contact ProInfirmis https://www.proinfirmis.ch/angebot/zuerich.html
It is free of charge.