Pensions and benefits
The NHS, Teachers', LGPS and Civil Service pension schemes, the State Pension and staff benefits.
Benefits of working for a council
What council jobs give you on top of pay: Green Book annual leave, the LGPS pension, sick pay, flexi-time, family leave and the local extras that vary by council.
Benefits of working in a school
What school staff get beyond salary: the Teachers' Pension and LGPS, school holidays, sick pay, family leave and the smaller perks, for teachers and support staff.
Blue Light Card and discounts for public sector staff
Who can get a Blue Light Card, which other discount schemes cover NHS, council, school and Civil Service staff, and what to check before you pay to join.
Buying added pension
How public sector staff can buy extra guaranteed pension in the NHS, teachers', council and Civil Service schemes, how it is paid for and how tax relief works.
Childcare help for public sector workers
The childcare support open to NHS, school, council and Civil Service staff: funded hours, Tax-Free Childcare, workplace nurseries and family-friendly leave.
Civil Service benefits
The Civil Service package beyond pay: the alpha pension and its employer contribution, annual leave, flexi-time, sick pay, family leave and travel loans.
Civil Service pension (alpha)
How alpha, the Civil Service career average pension, builds up, what civil servants pay in 2026/27 and how the partnership account alternative compares.
Cycle to work scheme
How the cycle to work scheme saves you tax and National Insurance on a bike, what it costs after the savings, and the catches around pay, pension and ownership.
Employee assistance programmes
What an employee assistance programme gives public sector staff, from free confidential counselling to legal and money helplines, and how confidential it really is.
Essential car user allowance
How council essential car user allowances work, how they differ from casual user mileage, how the tax is handled and what to check if you drive for work.
Funded childcare hours in England
Who qualifies for 15 and 30 hours of funded childcare in England, the earnings test, the £100,000 limit and how shift and term-time workers apply.
Ill-health retirement
How ill-health retirement works in the NHS, teachers', local government and Civil Service pension schemes, the tiers of benefit and how to apply.
Local Government Pension Scheme
Who is in the Local Government Pension Scheme, the 2026 contribution bands for England and Wales, and how the 50/50 section halves the cost.
NHS Pension Scheme explained
How the NHS Pension Scheme's 2015 career average section works in England and Wales, the 2026/27 contribution tiers and the 23.7% employer rate.
NHS staff benefits
The NHS benefits package under Agenda for Change: pension, annual leave, sick pay, salary sacrifice schemes, staff discounts and what carries over between employers.
Opting out of a public sector pension
What you give up if you opt out of the NHS, teachers', LGPS or Civil Service pension, how opting out works and what you could do instead.
Pension annual allowance
How the pension annual allowance applies to NHS, teachers' and other public sector schemes, why senior staff may face a tax charge and what Scheme Pays is.
Public sector pensions for part-time staff
How part-time hours affect the NHS, teachers', local government and Civil Service pensions: pro rata build-up, contribution rates and extra hours.
Retiring early from a public sector scheme
How early retirement reductions work in the NHS, teachers', local government and Civil Service pension schemes, and the ways to lower or avoid them.
Salary sacrifice car schemes
How salary sacrifice car schemes work in the NHS, councils and schools, why most are electric, how benefit-in-kind tax is charged and the costs if you leave early.
Season ticket loans
How interest-free season ticket loans from public sector employers work, how repayments come out of pay, the tax rules and what happens if you leave.
Staff wellbeing support in the NHS
The wellbeing support NHS staff can use: occupational health, counselling, mental health hubs, Practitioner Health, Freedom to Speak Up and help after violence at work.
State pension age
State Pension age is 66 and rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028. How the rise works, what is planned next and how it ties into public sector pensions.
Teachers' Pension Scheme explained
How the Teachers' Pension Scheme builds a career average pension, what teachers pay at each 2026/27 contribution tier and what schools pay on top.
The McCloud remedy
What the McCloud remedy changed for NHS, teachers', Civil Service and council pensions, who it covers and the choice some members make at retirement.
The State Pension
The full new State Pension for 2026/27, how National Insurance years build it, why many public sector workers were contracted out and how to fill gaps.
Transferring a public sector pension
When you can move a public sector pension, why unfunded schemes like the NHS and teachers' cannot transfer to private pots, and how Club transfers work.
Workplace pension auto-enrolment
The 2026/27 auto-enrolment thresholds, the legal minimum contributions, and how auto-enrolment works when your employer uses a public sector scheme.