If you're considering reducing the number of hours you work there are some implications that may affect your pension.
How will changing to part time working affect my pension?
Assuming you remain in the same job, working less hours means that you earn less. As a result you will pay less into the pension scheme, because your contributions are based upon your actual pay.
Paying less into the pension scheme will affect your pension at retirement. That’s because the amount added to your pension account each year is based directly on the pay you receive. If you change from full time to part time working, therefore reducing the amount of pay you receive, you will also add less to your pension account.
What about my pre 1 April 2014 benefits?
Assuming you remain in the same job, working less hours won’t affect the pension you earned up to 31 March 2014. This part of your pension will be based on your final pensionable pay at retirement, which is scaled up to a full time equivalent. This also means that any pay increases you receive will be taken into account when calculating your pre 1 April 2014 pension at retirement.
How is my contribution rate calculated if I work part time?
Your contribution rate is determined by the amount of actual pay you receive in a year. Visit the 'how much will i pay?' page to see which pay band you fit in to and therefore what your contribution rate should be.
Can I access my details online?
As an active member, you can sign up for My Pension Online. This allows you to securely:
- access your pension account details
- calculate pension benefits estimates
To find out more about this member self-service facility and sign up, please visit our My Pension Online section of this website.