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For definitions of terms used on these pages, see this glossary.

Latest updates on USS

01 March 2022

14 February 2022

26 January 2022

  • The University has shared the results of the recent member consultation with USS
  • The USS Trustee and the JNC will consider the results from all university employers and may choose to alter the changes being proposed as a result
  • The final package of changes must be signed off by 28 February in order to be implemented by 1 April, to avoid fallback contribution increases
  • Changes will apply to future accrual only: pension benefits built up in the past are protected by law

See all University statements on the 2020 valuation

Members of USS will be notified of relevant news about the scheme in the USS bulletin, an occasional e-bulletin produced by the University to which all USS members at Cambridge are automatically subscribed. The University also holds periodic open meetings to discuss developments with USS: you can view recordings of previous meetings (Raven login required).

About USS

The Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) is a pension scheme for the UK university sector. A large number of staff at the University and Cambridge Assessment are members of USS. You can read more about the benefits provided by the pension scheme on the USS website.

USS is required by law to undertake a valuation – essentially an assessment of its overall financial health – every three years. The pensions regulator expects these to be completed within a certain time period. The last two valuations have been contentious, with the three main parties involved – the USS trustee, UCU, which represents members, and UUK, which represents employers – struggling to reach agreement on how the valuation should be conducted and the level of contributions required to maintain existing benefits.  

Valuations in 2017 and 2018 projected large deficits for the scheme, with member and employer contributions rising – from 8% and 18% respectively in 2017 to 9.6% and 21.1% respectively since 1 October 2019. Benefits have remain largely unchanged.   

As part of the resolution to the disputed 2018 valuation, a further valuation as at 31 March 2020 was proposed and the 2020 valuation is now in progress.  

2017 and 2018 valuations

Articles about the 2017 and 2018 valuations that used to be on this page have been archived at the links below: