Scheme outlines

classic - The old PCSPS(NI) renamed. This was available to those who joined the scheme before 1st October 2002. It is also currently available in some circumstances to members transferring into this scheme from the Great Britain Civil Service.

Classic is a traditional occupational final salary scheme. It pays a pension based on 1/80th of your final pensionable pay for each year of reckonable service, plus a tax-free lump sum of three times your pension. You contribute 1.5% of your salary towards family benefits.

classic plus - A combined approach that members who joined before the 1st October 2002 were offered - allowing them to change from their old classic arrangements into classic plus.

Service up to 30th September 2002 counts as classic (subject to some minor changes). Service from 1st October 2002 counts as premium service.

premium - A scheme, available to new members joining after 1st October 2002. The premium pension scheme is a traditional occupational final-salary pension scheme. This means that your pension is based on your years of service and your salary when you leave. It pays a pension based on 1/60th of your final pensionable pay for each year of reckonable service. You can also choose to exchange some pension for a lump sum. You contribute 3.5% of your salary.

Members who joined before the 1st October 2002 were offered the choice to change from their old classic arrangements into premium - if you joined before 1st October 2002, all pre-October service is converted to premium service using a conversion rate of around 0.92.

nuvos - A new scheme, available to new members joining on or after 30 July 2007. The nuvos pension arrangement is a defined benefit occupational pension scheme. It pays a pension based on 2.3% of your pensionable earnings for each year you are in nuvos. You can choose to exchange some pension for a lump sum. You contribute 3.5% of your salary.

partnership - A new arrangement, available to those joining after 1st October 2002. The partnership pension account is a type of stakeholder pension.

Your employer will pay contributions into your pension fund, and you can choose whether to contribute. You also choose who you want your pension provider to be. Over the years, your pension fund should grow with investment returns (the money your invested pension earns), and you can use the resulting 'pot' to buy a pension when you retire or to leave to someone when you die.