Change in circumstances

Here’s when you need to get in touch

If any of the following scenarios occur, it’s important that you contact us right away at pensionspolicy@uss.co.uk*:

• Your last employee who was building a pension with USS stops, or is due to stop, contributing or retires.
• Your legal status is going to change.
• You’re merging with or into another USS employer.
• You may be facing insolvency.

These are the most common instances in which you’d need to contact us – but there may be other circumstances where you may also want to get in touch. If you have any questions or concerns about your participation then please contact us at pensionspolicy@uss.co.uk* so we can help.

The impact on employer debt

The above instances may put you at risk of triggering employer debt. That’s why it’s important you get in touch with us if they’re happening or you think they may happen. To find out more about employer debt and to understand what’s required of you as an employer, see your employer debt responsibilities.

You may be eligible for a period of grace

Let’s say the last employee at your organisation who was building a USS pension leaves or retires. As long as you’re planning on employing another employee within 12 months who’ll become a USS member, you may not need to pay the employer debt. This is known as a “period of grace”.

If you’d like to let us know about a period of grace, you need to contact the Technical Policy Team as soon as possible on pensionspolicy@uss.co.uk*. But you must give us formal notice within three months of your last member leaving.

The new employee must start contributing within 12 months of the last member leaving. If they don’t, the employer debt will be due straight away. This will be calculated as at the date your last member left.

* Please be aware this email address is to be used by employers only as we can't respond to any queries from members through this channel. If members want to get in touch with USS please do so through our contact us section.