Your USS pension while you are on leave
Parents and carers
Contributing members are fully covered for all the usual benefits of the scheme, based on the pensionable salary you would have been paid during periods of maternity, paternity and adoption leave.
You will be given details about pension and maternity leave, parental and adoption leave when you first let us know this is going to happen.
Whilst you are in receipt of any money such as University Maternity Pay and or Statutory Maternity Pay you will continue to pay contributions, but these will be based on the actual amount of pay you receive.
The University will continue to pay their own contributions based on your pay before you went on leave.
When you cease to receive any pay you will stop contributions and your pension membership will go into suspense. If you come back to work you will be given the option to pay any missed contributions. If you choose to do this, the University will pay their contributions towards your pension as well. If you decide not to pay, then the unpaid period will not count towards your final pension.
For further information regarding parents and carers absence, please speak to the Pensions team or see the USS website.
Other leave
There may be occasions during your membership when you need to be absent from work, either voluntarily or for reasons beyond your control. You have some options about how your pension benefits are treated during periods of absence.
For further information regarding absences other than for reasons under parents and carers, please speak to the Pensions Office, or see the USS website.
For information on pension contributions during industrial action see
