Occupational pensions – Your guide

Everyone needs to plan ahead for retirement. People are living longer and healthier lives, so it is even more important to think about how and when to save for retirement and how long to work.

The basic State Pension will give you a start, but to have the lifestyle you want in retirement you need to think about a second pension, and the sooner you can start the better.

To help you, this guide tells you how occupational pensions work. It looks at some of the questions you may need to think about and it tells you where you can find more information.

Other guides in this series will give you more information about particular areas of pensions. Click here to return to the guides index.

These guides can give you helpful information, but only you can make decisions about your pension.

What is an occupational pension scheme?

An occupational pension scheme is an arrangement set up by some employers to give their employees pensions when they retire. Occupational pension schemes may also pay you a tax-free lump sum when you retire and may provide benefits for your dependants if you die before them.