The majority of new entrants are eligible to join the Civil Service pension arrangements. Your letter of appointment will give you the details.
Last updated - 27th August 2009
Your pension is a valuable part of your pay package. As a nuvos member you will pay contributions of 3.5% of your pensionable earnings towards the cost of providing your pension. Your employer will pay between 17.1% and 26.5% depending on your salary.
You will generally be enrolled automatically into nuvos when you start work, but you can choose to join partnership instead. Your employer will arrange to send you a pensions Starter Pack including your PensionChoices: nuvos or partnership booklet. *
Your nuvos pension offers more than just an income for you when you retire; it also provides income for your dependants when you die, and life assurance cover while you are in service. The overview leaflet * provides a brief summary of the benefits offered by the schemes.
If you have been a member of the Civil Service pension arrangements before, you may be eligible for a different pension choice. Your employer will tell you about this.
If you have already made your choice, you can read more about what it means in the scheme guides section. Otherwise, please read on.
Use your PensionChoices booklet to work out where you are now, where you want to be tomorrow, and which scheme is going to help you get there.
You have 3 months from your start date to make your choice if you want to backdate your decision to day one. Please complete and return the PensionChoices form in your Starter Pack even if you want to remain in nuvos, as this provides important information including nominees for death benefit and action on any other pensions you may have.
You will want to make the best choice for your personal circumstances; read and compare the benefits of the schemes in your PensionChoices booklet to decide which suits you best.
You need to complete the information about your chosen provider and contribution rate on the PensionChoices form in your Starter Pack. You must also fill in your chosen pension provider’s application form and return this, with your PensionChoices form, to the address on the form. If you are not sure how to fill in the provider’s application form, you can phone them for help.
You have a choice of different providers for your partnership pension account:
Scottish Widows www.scottishwidows.co.uk/civilservicepartnership [External website]
Standard Life www.standardlife.co.uk/civilservice [External website]
TUC/Prudential www.pru.co.uk/retire/civilservice/shp [External website]
You may want to contact more than one provider so you can compare what they are offering.
No-one can tell you which of the two schemes is best for you. That decision is yours and will depend on your personal circumstances, but we provide information to help you make your choice.
The booklet PensionChoices: nuvos or partnership in your Starter Pack is designed to give you enough information to make your choice. You can also look at the scheme guides for nuvos and partnership and scheme booklets on our publications page.
If you are a member of one of the Civil Service unions, they may offer access to financial advice at special rates - ask your local union representative. Alternatively, you may want to consult an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) but you will have to pay for any advice you get.
Please remember that while your employer and pensions administrator will do everything they can to help you, they are not allowed to give you financial advice. Also, remember that what is right for your line manager, or your colleagues, may not be the best choice for you.
