NUT Pensions Update

National Union of Teachers – Pensions Update

The NUT National Executive has agreed to continue the NUT’s campaign to defend teachers’ pensions.

Despite some concessions brought about because of strike action the Government’s position on teachers' pensions remains unchanged. The Government still wants to make teachers pay more, work longer and get less.

In a survey of members 93% agreed that the NUT was right not to agree to the Government's latest pensions offer. As a result the NUT Executive has decided to continue campaigning on pensions.

As part of this campaign, the NUT will be consulting the views of all members who are part of the Teachers’ Pensions Scheme. Members will be asked whether or not they endorse the NUT’s decision not to agree to the Government’s “final” pension proposals and to continue to campaign against them. Members will also be asked whether they would support further strike action beginning with a national one day strike on 28 March.

The NUT will continue to participate in negotiations with Government in order to seek a negotiated settlement if at all possible. The NUT’s main concerns are the proposals to increase teachers’ pension contributions and increase their normal pension ages. Imposing higher pension contributions at a time of real terms pay cuts will lead many teachers to opt out from their pension scheme and threaten its viability. Most teachers will not be able to work successfully in the classroom to age 68 and will be forced to retire earlier than this on substantially reduced pensions.

NUT School Representatives Pension Meetings

Meetings for school representatives are being organised around the country to give you more details of the pension campaign and what you can do in your school. Click here to find out where a meeting is taking place near you.

Please make every effort to attend your local Representatives’ meeting as it will be an important forum for sharing information and for discussing practical ideas on what you can do in your school to ensure members have the facts and are involved in the campaign. These meetings will also discuss the Government's new model appraisal system.

Members Consultation

The NUT will be consulting all members, via a survey that will be sent to home addresses on 23 February, on this proposed strategy. Responses are needed by 14 March at latest.

The consultation survey will ask two questions:

i) do you endorse the decision of the National Executive to continue the pensions campaign and to refuse to sign up to the Government’s proposals?

ii) would you support further strike action beginning with a national one day strike on 28 March?

The NUT Executive is encouraging a positive response to both questions. It is essential that all members first understand that the Government's pension proposals will still mean teachers having to pay more, work longer and get less in retirement, and that they express their opinions via the survey on the Executive's proposed course of action.

What else you can do

Arrange a workplace meeting to discuss the pensions issue with colleagues and use this powerpoint and speakers notes
Show other members how to use the pensions calculator on the NUT website at www.teachers.org.uk/pensionscalc to find out how much they stand to lose
Recruit any non union members to the NUT - using the free membership offer
Sign the Parliamentary e-petition which urges the Government to enter into genuine negotiations

What Are The Government's Latest Pension Proposals

The Government's proposed ‘heads of agreement’ for changes to the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS); the progress of negotiations in December which led to their publication by Government; and the NUT's position on the Government's proposals and future discussions.

Click here to read an NUT briefing.

LGPS Joint Union Newsletter

This LGPS joint union newsletter sets out the current position for the Local Government Pension Scheme following discussions during December.

NUT Survey on Teachers’ Attitudes to Pensions - press release

In the NUT's June pension ballot 92% of members voted in favour of strike action. Our current survey clearly shows that teachers' attitude to the Government's proposals on pensions have not changed with 98% saying the current offer does not go far enough.

Click here to read the full press release

Remember – the Government's new proposals give you thousands less not thousands more

The Government gave an example of a teacher retiring on £37,000 getting a pension of £25,000 under its proposals, compared to £19,100 under the current scheme. This is disingenuous. What it didn’t say is that teachers would have to work to 68 for a pension of £25,200 under the proposed scheme, compared with 60 for the pension of £19,100 under the current scheme. This is not a like for like comparison and the Government knows it.

In actual fact, that teacher retiring at age 60 under the new arrangements would receive a pension of £13,800 – a loss of £5,300 per year compared with the £19,100 pension under the current scheme.

The Government still wants every teacher to pay more and to get less in retirement. It still wants to make every teacher more than 10 years from their current pension age work longer for a full pension as well. Click here for the full truth.

Technical note: Comparison of payments into and from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme

This note accompanies the NUT's calculations on payments into and from the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) since its establishment in 1923.

Say No to the Government's unfair pension contribution increases

Click here to find out how much your pension contributions will rise per year.

Pensions loss calculator

The NUT calculator - updated to reflect the most recent Government proposals - gives you an estimate of what the Government's proposed pension changes will cost you, both between now and your retirement and after you retire.

Fair Pensions for All - sign our petition to the Prime Minister

We are campaigning for Fair Pensions for All - for workers in the private and public sectors and pensioners too. Please add your name to the petition below to the Prime Minister.

Please fill in the form here to sign the petition.

Alternatively, you can download the petition here (English copy - Welsh copy) and circulate it to your colleagues, parents and friends

Pension strike action resources

Click here to view information and images from our successful first days of strike action.

Students: Stand up for your future

As a student, you shouldn’t have to worry about your retirement. But the Government’s plans for public sector pensions threaten you, when you enter the profession, with paying more for your pension, working longer and getting less in retirement. Join the NUTs campaign to protect your pensions. Download the 'Stand Up for Your Future' leaflet here.

E-mail your MP here.