Pensions

The Pensions Office administers the pension schemes operated by the University for its employees.

For further details, please refer to the Statement of Pensions policy (38kb).

News

Pension Schemes – A change in the law that may affect you

Government regulations impose new duties on the University to encourage staff to save for retirement through membership of a pension scheme. These duties apply to the University from 1 March 2013.

This legislation will not affect staff who are already a member of a pension scheme. However, it does require the University to enrol in a pension scheme any member of staff who requests it and automatically to enrol in a pension scheme any employee or worker who is not already a member of a pension scheme and who meets certain eligibility criteria. This will include many of you who have previously opted out of USS or OSPS.

It is important that you:

refer to the Auto-Enrolment pages of the website to see how these changes will affect you; and
consider carefully what action you wish to take.

We shall write to you individually on or around 1 March 2013 with more details and with guidance on what you need to do if you wish to join a pension or to opt out if you are auto-enrolled.

Alternatively, if you wish to discuss this with a member of the Pensions Office, please contact the appropriate team or submit your queries via ox.autoenrolment@admin.ox.ac.uk.

15 February 2013

Pension schemes

USS

If you are on an academic or academic-related pay scale (generally grade 6 or above), you are automatically a member of USS (Universities Superannuation Scheme).

OSPS

If you are on a pay scale other than academic or academic-related (e.g. clerical and library; ancillary, parks and gardens;) you are automatically a member of OSPS (University of Oxford Staff Pension Scheme).

NHSPS

If you work in the medical school and were employed by the NHS immediately prior to your engagement by the University, you are a member of NHSPS (National Health Service Pension Scheme), unless you have elected to join another scheme instead.

NEST

National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) is a national scheme, offered by the University to non-employees who have a contract personally to work for or provide services to the University and who are not undertaking the work as part of their own business.

If you have retired, you may find our Information for Pensioners useful.

If you have not yet retired, we have a range of information available about retirement.

University Pension Statement

Media coverage has highlighted the trend for employers to move away from the provision of defined benefit pension arrangements, either for new employees or in some cases for all employees. There are no plans for the University to move away from the provision of defined benefit pension arrangements for its employees and this type of arrangement remains a vital part of the remuneration package offered to employees.

Contact details

For further information, please contact:
The Pensions Office
Telephone: 01865 (6) 16133
Fax: 01865 (6) 16021