The University offers the following workplace pension schemes. These have been confirmed as qualifying schemes, which means they meet or exceed the government’s standards. The employer and employee both pay into these schemes.
Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS)
This is a national scheme for staff employed on academic and academic-related scales of pay (generally grades 6 and above).
University of Oxford Staff Pension Scheme (OSPS)
This is the University’s scheme for those of its staff who are on scales of pay for support staff (generally grades 1 – 5). The scheme is also open to similar employees of colleges and other institutions that participate in the scheme.
National Employment Savings Trust (NEST)
This is a national scheme. The University will enrol in this scheme workers who are eligible for automatic enrolment or who ask to join a qualifying scheme.
When there is a change in a worker’s status (for example, an employee is promoted above grade 5, or a casual worker is recruited to a position as an employee) the appropriate scheme will be that which is applicable to the new position or status.
The University also participates in certain other schemes in respect of specific employees in exceptional circumstances. The main example is the National Health Service Pension Scheme (NHSPS). This is a national scheme for NHS employees. The only university staff who participate in this scheme are those who are employed in a clinical role and were active members of the NHSPS immediately before their employment by the University.