For Staff

Page updated 5 September 2022

The Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) has been through a valuation process – a statutory assessment of a pension scheme’s financial health, carried out at least once every three years. Stemming from this process, some changes to the scheme were implemented from April 2022.

All benefits earned from contributions to April 2022 are safe and are not affected.

Resources to help you understand the changes

• News from Universities UK on its USSEmployers website
• Videos | Three short videos published by the Russell Group explain the affordability of the scheme, the commitments made by universities to support it, and moves to reform its governance
• Glossary of key terms to help you bust through all the pensions jargon.
• Questions and answers on the USS Pension

Our principles 

To work for everyone involved, we believe the scheme should be: 

• Fair: so it works for and is accessible to all potential members, regardless of age, background or career stage. 
• Valued: so everyone sees and receives the benefit of it.  
• Sustainable: so it continues to be affordable and secure for individuals and employers. 
• Stable: so there’s confidence in it. 
• Portable: so it helps colleagues move freely around the sector to develop their careers. 

Find out more

We share public information and links to other sources of information on this page and key information is also highlighted via the all staff eNews.

Scheme information, and member communications and documents are produced and provided by USS itself.

USS (runs the pension scheme)

• USS.co.uk
• USS 2020 valuation (this page hosts some video explanations, including ‘Valuations: how we protect the promises made to members’)

UCU (represents all scheme members)

• UCU pensions

UUK (represents scheme employers)

• USS employers website
• Glossary of key terms

Your pension

If you have any specific questions relating to your pension scheme please contact the Pensions and Benefits team

Please rest assured that any pension benefits you already have in the scheme, to the date of any further scheme change, are safe and secure. Discussions about the future of the scheme relate to pensions yet to be built up.