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Increasing benefits

There are three ways that active members can increase their benefits. It could be through Added Pension, Free-Standing Additional Voluntary Contributions (FSAVC), or a stand-alone stakeholder or personal pension plan

Added Pension

Members can purchase an additional amount of annual pension, which can be done in two ways:

  • By making a one off lump sum contribution (minimum amount of £100)
    • and / or
  • By making periodical monthly deductions (minimum of £10 per month or equal to if paying a percentage of salary)

Before 1 April 2023 the maximum amount of Added Pension that members can purchase is £6,100 p.a. plus pension lump sum of £18,300 for Classic and £7,600 p.a. for Classic Plus, Premium and Nuvos members.

The limit increases from 1 April 2023 to £6,800 p.a. plus the pension lump sum of £20,400 for Classic members and £8,400 p.a. for Classic Plus, Premium and Nuvos members.

The limits are reviewed each year and can go up in line with inflation.

Purchase by lump sum

Members who wish to increase their pension benefits by payment of a lump sum should be aware that normally only one lump sum payment is permitted in any Scheme year, i.e. 1 April to 31 March, and can be paid at any time during the year, the exception being that a second lump sum payment is permitted when this is paid from the member's compensation payment. New members cannot buy Added Pension by lump sum within 12 months of joining the scheme. The purchase can be made from salary (providing your salary will cover the amount you wish to pay), or by bank transfer or by cheque. We will issue a notice in January each year to tell you what the deadlines are for sending in application forms and payments. Payment by BACS is preferable although cheques can be accepted.

Purchase by monthly deductions

Members can also purchase Added Pension by monthly contributions, which must start from 1 April each year. If you want to buy Added Pension by monthly contributions for the next scheme year, you must send the completed application form to JSS before the deadline so that we have time to instruct your payroll to start making deductions from your April salary; the deadline will be published in January each year. New members can start contributing immediately but in order to do so the completed Added Pension application form must be received by JSS within three months of the date you join the scheme.

Please note: If you are in classic, classic plus or premium, you can cancel your payments at any time by providing notice in writing. If you are a member of nuvos your contributions must be paid up to the end of the scheme year and cannot be ceased before 31 March unless you are leaving. If an added pension contract was originally set up for contributions to run to 31 March only, the cessation of contributions will automatically apply.

Purchase using compensation payment

Members leaving on early severance, redundancy or early retirement terms, who are to receive a compensation lump sum payment, can use some or all of this payment to purchase Added Pension.

Added Pension is payable at age 60 for members of the Classic, Classic Plus and Premium Schemes, or age 65 for those in Nuvos; if taken earlier it will be actuarially reduced.

Added Pension calculators

The links below will take you to the Added Pension calculators.

Classic Added Pension Calculator 2024 (Excel, 203KB) - opens in new window

Classic Plus and Premium Added Pension Calculator 2024 (Excel, 208KB) - opens in new window

Nuvos Added Pension Calculator 2024 (Excel, 157KB) - opens in new window

Added Pension application forms

Added Pension Application Forms can be found on the Scheme Guides and Forms page.

Additional Voluntary Contributions

The RCPS Additional Voluntary Contribution schemes are administered by Scottish Widows and Standard Life. Contact details for each provider are below.

RCPS members are not able to begin new AVC arrangements due to changes made to the Civil Service AVC pension scheme in April 2018. When the RCPS transfers to the Civil Service Pension Scheme arrangements, members will be able to begin new AVC arrangements under the Civil Service pension scheme.

For more news on the transfer please read the Reform page.

In the meantime, RCPS members are still able to purchase Added Pension.

Free-Standing Additional Voluntary Contributions (FSAVC)

A FSAVC is not connected to the RCPS. They are similar to AVCs and often referred to as money purchase or defined contribution schemes, they are generally provided by insurance companies. JSS are unable to recommend any FSAVC providers.

Stand-alone Stakeholder Pension

Stand-alone stakeholder pensions are low-cost private pensions. The Civil Service stand-alone stakeholder pension scheme is provided by Standard Life - external link

From September 2018, RCPS members have not been able to join the Civil Service stand-alone stakeholder pension but are able to participate in any other stakeholder or personal pension. These tend to be provided by insurance companies, banks or building societies. JSS are unable to recommend any providers.

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