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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. 

General FAQs

Support staff in post before 31st December (substantive roles)

Academic or Academic-related post holders

Support Staff in post from 1st January 2021

Pension Scheme Eligibility FAQs - Pensions