UOY Pension Fund: Joining the scheme
Your first opportunity to join the Fund will be from the date that you have completed two years continuous employment. You must also:
- be aged at least 18 and not more than 74
- not be eligible to join the Universities Superannuation Scheme.
Why join the scheme?
It doesn't cost as much as you think due to tax relief (moneyhelper.org.uk) on pension contributions. Tax relief means that you pay your contributions to the Fund before the tax on your pay is calculated.
Your employer will contribute towards your pension, and the value of your contributions to the Fund increases as your salary does.
Finally, life cover and dependant's pensions are included in the cost of your contributions.
Lump sum life cover
One of the benefits of membership of the Fund is that a lump sum may be payable to your dependants if you die in service and are under the Fund's normal retirement age. This is currently 66, and will increase in line with increases to the State Pension Age.
This lump sum is only payable to the extent that it is underwritten by the Fund's insurers. Cover will not be provided to any member who travels on business to, or is located in, a country or region where the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises against all travel. Find out more about the government's current overseas travel advice (gov.uk).
Becoming a member
In order to join the University of York Pension Fund, please complete the following forms:
, 808kb)Supporting documentation
We will also need to see one of the following original forms of ID in order to accept your application:
- current valid passport
- current valid photocard driving licence
- birth and (if relevant) marriage certificate, decree absolute or change of name by Deed Poll which verifies any change of name from that shown on your birth certificate.
We cannot accept scans or photocopies of your ID. Please could you therefore either:
- send your documents to us using the University's internal post, marked for the Pensions Team, or
- book an appointment with us to bring in your original documents. We can then take copies and return them to you at the same time.
Further options
If you apply to join the University of York Pension Fund once you are eligible and your application is accepted, you will be entered into Tier 1 but can choose to go down into Tier 2 if you want to. You can change Tiers at any time during your membership.
If you are a member of The People's Pension, at the point that you become a member of the University of York Pension Fund, your contributions to The People's Pension will be ended. You will still be able to make contributions to The People's Pension directly from your own bank account if you want to. Find out more from The People's Pension (thepeoplespension.co.uk).
Alternatively, you can choose to make extra contributions to your University of York Pension Fund through the University's payroll system. Find out more about Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs).