Pension Scheme Eligibility FAQs

Key principles

All substantive academic and academic-related role holders are eligible for USS only.
An individual cannot be in both pension schemes.
To meet our auto-enrolment responsibilities, an employee can join one of the two pension schemes for all contracts held. However, employees with an Academic or Academic-related post (including AT contracts and temporary contracts at Grade 7 or above) cannot join GPP for this contract. In this scenario, an employee may be eligible to join USS for all posts held.
Support staff role holders in employment prior to 31st December 2020 can remain in USS following re-appointment (if already an active USS member), and can also contribute to USS in respect of other posts acquired.
Support staff role holders in post prior to 31st December 2020 who opted out of USS in the past, had a window of opportunity to re-join the scheme in 2021. After 1st July 2021, they are no longer eligible to re-join the scheme.