Making Additional Pension Payments
There are several ways in which you can increase your pension scheme payments on both the Lothian Pension Fund and the Scottish Teachers' Superannuation Scheme. Each pension scheme offers slightly different options. It is important to note that the University does not contribute to any of the below additional payments.
Options for Lothian Pension Fund members – Research, Technical and Support Staff
Option 1 - Buying extra pension – Additional Pension Contributions (APCs)
Lothian Pension Fund (LPF) offers members the option to buy extra pension by paying APCs regularly, over a period or as a one-off lump sum. The cost of the APCs is a cash value and is based on the amount you want to buy, your age and length of time you wish to pay for them. Please see Lothian Pension Fund Website for more information or to use their calculators for buying APCs.
Option 2 – Making Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs)
If you chose to make Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVC) this is made to a separate investment pot out with Lothian Pension Fund. LPF Members can opt for a Shared Cost AVC – which is a salary sacrifice option, this provides both tax and national insurance savings. A Standard AVC is also available that provides tax relief only.
You may cease AVC payments at any time - there is no period of obligation. These accrued funds can be used at retirement in several ways, including as a lump sum or to buy an annuity which acts as a fixed amount of additional pension benefit. Please note that annuities are affected by interest rates, and they can both increase and decrease in value.
Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVC)
We partner with My Money Matters (formerly AVCWISE) on the Shared cost AVC to offer this staff benefit only open to Lothian Pension Fund Members. My Money Matters support on the administration of the Share cost AVC. Your AVC is setup with Prudential, an external pension provider. This offering is a salary sacrifice scheme, so you benefit of tax and national insurance savings on your contributions. Deductions are taking from your salary direct each month and passed to the pension provider direct.
To learn more about Shared Cost AVCs, please review the Frequently Asked Questions or register on our Shared Cost AVC website.
To contact My Money Matters directly, www.my-money-matters.co.uk to use the live chat service
You can also contact Lothian Pension direct about additional payments to your Pension:
Telephone: 0333 996 1900 e-mail: pensions@lpf.org.uk Or by mail: Lothian Pension Fund, PO Box 24158, Edinburgh, EH3 1GY
Option 1 – Faster Pension Accrual
SPPA members have the option with Faster pension accrual to earn pension at a faster rate than with your standard monthly contributions, by making extra monthly contributions from your salary.
The cost is depending on your age when commencing and the amount of extra pension you wish to accumulate.
Option 2 – Additional pension
SPPA members can buy an amount of extra pension while in employment, this is then paid in addition to your scheme benefit when you retire. The Cost depends on several factors, such as age at date of election, your normal pension age, the amount you wish to purchase and how you pay for this either lump sum or by regular contributions.
Option 3 – Stakeholder Pension, Additional Voluntary Contributions and Free-Standing Additional Voluntary Contributions (FSAVC)
Alongside paying into your teachers’ pension scheme, you can also contribute to a Stakeholder Pension, a personal pension via an Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) or a Free-Standing Additional Voluntary Contributions (FSAVC)
The standard AVC contributions are made to a separate investment pot, they are deducted from salary and offer tax relief, they are passed direct to the pension provider.
The official provider of teachers AVC to Scottish Teachers’ pension scheme is Prudential
If you are looking at additional options with SPPA please review all the information on the SPPA website on increasing your pension where you will find more details on all of your options.
Please note there is currently no provision within the Scottish Teachers’ Pension Scheme to allow employers to contribute to an employee’s AVC agreement. Therefore Share cost AVC is not available under this scheme.
You can contact SPPA direct about additional payments to your pension:
Telephone: 01896 893 000 e-mail: sppacontactus@gov.scot or by mail: SPPA, 7 Tweedside Park, Galashiels, TD1 3TE.
If you are considering making additional pension payments, please ensure you are fully aware of your options, you can speak to your pension provider on any questions about any of the options they offer within their scheme or with the relevant external pension providers. If you are unsure, please seek independent financial advice.