What is a defined contribution scheme?

A defined contribution pension scheme provides benefits to members on retirement, based on the amount of money paid into the scheme and investment returns.

Benefits at retirement can be provided as either an income and/or lump sum payments.

We currently offer three defined contribution schemes as part of the Civil Service pension scheme arrangements.

  1. The Civil Service Additional Voluntary Contribution Scheme (CSAVCS)
  2. The partnership pension account
  3. The Concord pension account

Legal & General

On 1 September 2018, the Scheme Manager (Cabinet Office) appointed Legal & General as the provider of all three defined contribution schemes provided under the Civil Service pension scheme arrangements.

Requesting to participate in CSAVCs, Partnership and Concord

Use the following documents to register with Legal & General when dealing with requests from employees who wish to join a defined contribution scheme offered by Civil Service Pensions.

Process for employers registering with Legal & General (from 01 September 2018)

Employer request to participate in Legal & General Master Trust

If you have any questions about the process of registering with Legal & General please contact dc.provider@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Defined Contribution schemes

We currently offer the following defined contribution schemes as part of the Civil Service pension scheme arrangements. Legal & General is the current provider of these schemes.

The CSAVCS allows members to make additional pension savings in a defined contribution arrangement.

Members can boost their retirement income by making additional voluntary contributions (AVCs) to the CSAVCS.

Members contribute via their employer’s payroll system and tax relief is provided via the net pay system.

The partnership pension account is an alternative to the main Civil Service pension defined benefit scheme, alpha.

In partnership, members do not have to make any payments, as their employer will contribute anyway. However, if a member does choose to contribute, their employer will match their payments up to a further 3% of their pensionable salary.

The Concord pension account can be provided for people who do not qualify for membership of the alpha or partnership.

Employers who wish to use the Concord scheme must first seek approval from the scheme manager. Please contact dc.provider@cabinetoffice.gov.uk for all Concord enquiries.

Defined Contribution Transition Project

On 01 September 2018, the Scheme Manager (Cabinet Office) appointed Legal & General as the single provider of all defined contribution schemes offered as part of the Civil Service pension scheme arrangements. 

Below, we have provided a summary of what the move to a single provider meant for members.

Future contributions moved to the new provider (Legal & General) from September 2018.

Existing pension funds held with current providers were transferred to the new provider in quarter four of 2018.

The change was not implemented where doing so would cause financial detriment, and members were given the option to opt-out of the transfer of their existing pension funds.

Future contributions moved to the new provider from September 2018.

The change was not implemented where doing so would cause financial detriment, and members were offered the option of transferring their existing pension funds to the new provider in quarter four of 2018.

From September 2018, the Standalone stakeholder scheme became unavailable to new members. However, existing members were able to join the Civil Service Additional Voluntary Contribution Scheme (CSAVCS) from September 2018 if they wished.

Members were also offered the option to transfer their existing Standalone stakeholder pension to the new provider (Legal & General) in quarter four of 2018.

The Scheme Manager issued a letter to all active members of the above schemes confirming how the changes would affect their pension. Members were due to receive a letter by 14 August 2018.

You will need to use the following documents when dealing with requests from employees who request to join a defined contribution scheme offered by Civil Service Pensions after 01 September 2018.

Process for employers registering with Legal & General (from 01 September 2018)

Employer request to participate in Legal & General Master Trust

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Published:
17 December 2021
Last updated:
30 March 2023
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