Overview of Civil Service Pension Scheme

The Civil Service Pension is made up several schemes, some of which are closed to new members of the Civil Service, but still open to existing members of the scheme.

These schemes offer different benefits to employees and have specific eligibility rules that you must obey when enrolling a new joiner into a scheme.

Field	Description
Alpha	A defined benefit scheme (Career Average - CARE). Pension builds up at 2.32% of actual pensionable earnings each scheme year. Introduced 1 April 2015. Most new entrants after that date will join this scheme.
Nuvos*	A defined benefit scheme (Career Average - CARE). Pension builds up at 2.3% of pensionable earnings each scheme year. Introduced 30 July 2007. Closed to new entrants from 31 March 2015 except those with a recent public sector pension.
Premium*	A defined benefit pension scheme based on final salary. Introduced 1 October 2002. Now closed to new entrants.
Partnership	A defined contribution (‘money purchase’) stakeholder pension.
The Civil Service Supplementary (Earnings Cap) Scheme	This provides benefits on pensionable earnings above the earnings cap. Closed to new members from 6 April 2006.
Designated stakeholder pension scheme	A defined contribution (money purchase) arrangement, offered as a way for staff to boost their retirement income, regardless of whether they already belong to one of the defined benefit schemes or Partnership.

This table is a copy of information on the Civil Service Pensions Schemes website.

* These Civil Service Pension Schemes have not been open to new members since 1 April 2022.