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Pensions & Benefits - Pensions

The Aston University Pension Scheme (AUPS)

Aston Pensions

The Aston University Pension Scheme (AUPS) is a University run pension scheme for staff of grades 1-6.  Scheme information and forms are available below.  Alternatively contact Elaine Millard, Pensions & Employee Benefits Manager or Peter Brookes, Pensions & Employee Benefits Administrator for more details.

IMPORTANT NOTE - ABOUT YOUR MEMBERSHIP OF THE ASTON UNIVERSITY PENSION SCHEME (AUPS)

Your contract of employment will state if your university employment is subject to membership of AUPS.  If your contract is pensionable you are automatically a member of the scheme until you opt out (except if you are ineligible for membership – see below).  Please also note that the university is operating AUPS as a “salary sacrifice” arrangement, the implications of which are explained in “the university’s flexible benefits salary conversion scheme”.

Opting out of Membership

If you wish to opt out of membership of AUPS you can do so. An opt out form can be obtained by contacting the Pensions & Employee Benefits Administrator. You cannot obtain the form ahead of your date of joining the Scheme. 

Ineligible for Membership

If you have a pensionable contract of employment you will not be entered into the scheme if you are ineligible for membership.  These are the only reasons for not being eligible for AUPS membership:

  • You are aged under 18, or 60 and over, at commencement of the relevant Aston University pensionable employment.*

  • You carry out the majority of your duties for the University in a European Union country other than the United Kingdom.

  • You are employed on a fixed term contract of 6 months or less.*

*Eligibility for membership criteria are changing with effect from 1 August 2013 – see “auto-enrolment” for further details.

 

The following forms should be used in conjunction with the Scheme Guide:

AUTO-ENROLMENT

With effect from 1 August 2013 (the “staging date”) the University will be subject to the Government’s auto-enrolment regulations which is a requirement for employers to automatically enrol eligible jobholders into a pension scheme.

In order to comply with the new regulations, the Rules of AUPS will be amended with effect from 1 August 2013:

  • The requirement to be employed on a contract of more than 6 months will be removed.

  • The maximum age for automatically being entered into the Scheme at commencement of employment will be increased to age 64.  Employees aged 16 to 17 and 65 to 74 will be able to elect to join the Scheme should they wish to do so. 

Further information on auto-enrolment will be added to the website in the run up to the staging date, and will be sent to employees at the appropriate time, but if you have any questions please contact the Pensions & Employee Benefits Manager.