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The family of the late Senedd Member Mohammad Asghar are in a dispute with the Welsh Parliament over pension payments.

They are filing a complaint to the Pensions Ombudsman in a dispute with the Welsh Parliament over access to funds in which they say they feel “short-changed”.

Mr Asghar died on June 16 last year, while serving as a regional Member of the Senedd for South Wales East – a position he held for 13 years.

Following his death, Mr Asghar’s widow was entitled to three separate death in service payments from the Senedd.

The Surviving Adult Dependant’s Pension has been calculated at £12,000 per year, but the family believe the figure is less than he is owed.

Speaking to Caerphilly Observer, Mr Asghar’s daughter, Natasha, said her father’s dependants’ payment has been calculated unfairly due to his age.

Miss Asghar, who was recently selected by the Welsh Conservatives to stand in this year’s Senedd elections, said: “My father paid the full amount into his pension out of his own salary during his entire 13 years in office.

“Now, after a career dedicated to public service, his contributions are being short changed as he is being offered less than members who have served for less time.

“He always told me not to worry about what would happen after his day because mum would be looked after.

“My dad cared for my mum after she had a stroke, and she is now worried about how she is going to live the rest of her life. This period has seen her suffer anxiety and depression and I am now having to do everything for her.

“We aren’t asking for an anything unacceptable, we just want what my dad paid into. It is unfair that he has been offered far less and is being treated unfairly because of his age.”

What happens when a Senedd Member dies while in office?

When Senedd Members die while in office, dependant family members are entitled to a series of payments, including a cash lump sum and a dependant’s pension.

The cash lump sum, payable to a nominated dependant such as a spouse, is currently two times the member’s salary.

The dependant’s pension is calculated as 5/8 of the member’s pension if they remained an active member of the scheme until normal retirement age (65).

In the case of Mr Asghar, his family believe the dependant’s pension has been unfairly calculated because Mr Asghar entered the Senedd later in life at the age of 61 and worked beyond normal retirement age.

A spokesperson for the Senedd Commission said: “The benefits payable on the death in service of a Member of the Senedd were communicated to Members in 2016 and are set out in the pension scheme rules.

“The Trustees of the scheme only have power to pay the benefits which are set out in those rules and have no discretion to pay more than the rules allow.

“We can’t comment on the details of an individual’s benefits as this is confidential information. All pensions payable to surviving adult dependants are calculated in accordance with the scheme rules and are applied consistently to individuals who are the deceased Member’s surviving adult dependants.”

The Welsh Conservatives, who Mr Asghar served as a member for since 2009, declined to comment.

At the time of writing, it was our understanding that the Asghar family hadn’t received any benefit payments. However, on Monday, February 1, the Senedd Commission confirmed the death in service payments have been made. The story has been altered to reflect this, but we understand the Asghar family continue to dispute the total amount and still intend to file a complaint with the Pensions Ombudsman.