Site map

Help us make USS better for everyone; join our research community

Guidance webinars

You have access to a series of interactive presentations about the benefits and options provided by USS

As a USS member, you have access to free webinars provided by Mercer that will help you make the decisions that are right for you now and in the future. View the available dates below to register for each webinar or visit Mercer's website to view all upcoming webinars.

You can also view webinars addressing the issues that impact USS and your pension in our member webinars.

About the webinars

Each webinar will last about one hour, with about 15 minutes for a Q&A at the end, and will be recorded. If the host does not have time during the Q&A for all the questions asked by attendees, you may be able to find the answer to your question in our FAQs which are found in our help and support section. Mercer will not be able to answer any questions that are specific to your personal circumstances nor provide financial advice.

You can however, catch up at any time by viewing previous recorded webinars.

Available webinars

Find out more about what you can expect each webinar to cover and view the dates for the upcoming webinars on these subjects.

  • Your USS pension basics

    Find out what you get with USS and how it works. The session covers:

    • What you get as a member
    • How you build up a USS pension
    • Tax relief as you save
    • What happens if you leave
    • Benefits for your loved ones
    • Life events that could affect your pension
  • Understanding DC - saving in the Investment Builder

    If you want to understand more about saving in the Investment Builder, this session covers:

    • How USS works
    • Making additional contributions
    • Transferring in to the Investment Builder
    • Your investment options and charges
    • Looking at what you might get
  • Tax and your pension

    A quick overview on tax relief and how income tax works when you take your pension. The session covers:

    • How you build a USS pension
    • How you benefit from tax relief
    • Income tax when you take your pension
    • The USS calculators available to help you
  • Decisions after leaving USS

    If you’ve stopped paying in, but not retired, this session covers what you need to know about:

    • How you built up a USS pension
    • Leaving your benefits with USS
    • Transferring out
    • Moving overseas
    • Retiring and taking your benefits
    • Benefits for your loved ones
  • Planning ahead for your retirement

    It’s never too early to start a retirement plan, this session gives you an overview of the USS pension and how to get started with your planning:

    • How USS works
    • When you can retire
    • Your retirement options
    • How to work out what you’ll get
    • Work out what you’ll need
    • What to do next
  • Approaching retirement

    If you’re paying in and looking to take some of your benefits, this session covers the basics of what you need to know:

    • How your benefits build up in USS
    • When you can take your benefits
    • What retirement options you have
    • State Pension
    • The retirement process at USS
  • Understanding DC – taking savings from the Investment Builder

    If you have savings in the Investment Builder and want to know more about taking them, this session covers:

    • Finding out what savings you have
    • When you can take them
    • Options you have with your savings
    • The impact of taking savings on future tax relief
    • Information if you have Prudential (MPAVC) savings
    • Working out what you might get from your DC savings
  • Focus on pension tax

    A more in-depth session on tax allowances if you are making, or have, significant pension savings. The session covers:

    • Annual Allowance (AA), including Tapered Annual Allowance (TAA) and Money Purchase Annual Allowance (MPAA)
    • The Lump Sum Allowance (LSA) and Lump Sum & Death Benefit Allowance (LSDBA)
    • Managing tax with USS – Enhanced Opt Out, Voluntary Salary Cap, Scheme Pays
    • The USS calculators available to help you

Webinar dates

Important information

The webinars are provided by Mercer Limited and USS is not in any way responsible for the content of the webinars and/or any loss or damage arising out of or in connection with these webinars or any services provided by Mercer Limited. The content of these webinars is information only. The webinars do not explain all situations or eventualities. It is not, and should not be taken as, advice. You should not rely on, or take or fail to take any decision or action based upon these webinars. We recommend that members, employers, or any other person that views, or otherwise comes into possession of the content of this webinar, take their own advice on which they can rely.

If there is any difference between this webinar and the USS trust deed and rules the latter shall prevail. Please check the USS website for the latest information regarding the scheme and any changes that may have occurred to its rules and benefits .

Important terms

This publication is for general guidance only. For a glossary of our terms please see more information on our key terms and important information page.

Previous webinars

As well as watching the webinars live, you can also watch recordings of webinars that have already taken place. Just choose the webinar you want to watch below.