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Career average meaning

What does Career average mean?
In pensions practice, career average describes a defined benefit pension design that builds benefits on the member’s earnings in each year of service, rather than on pay near retirement. Often called career average revalued earnings (CARE) or an average earnings basis. Under a career average pension scheme, a slice of pension accrues each year (for example, 1/57th of that year’s pensionable pay). Each slice is then revalued annually up to retirement—commonly by CPI or another index set in the scheme rules—and summed to produce the pension. This contrasts with final salary schemes, which base benefits on end‑of‑career pay. Career average is a descriptive term used across pensions law and practice. In the UK public sector, CARE structures are provided for under the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 and detailed in scheme regulations; in Ireland, similar career‑average defined benefit arrangements operate within the Pensions Act 1990 framework and scheme rules. There is no single universal statutory definition. Key legal features include: accrual rate, definition of pensionable pay, revaluation methodology, indexation in payment, early/late retirement factors, transfers, and survivor benefits. Usage and legal effect are broadly consistent across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, subject to scheme‑specific provisions.
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View the related Checklists about Career average

CHECKLISTS
Annual benefit statements for occupational and personal pension schemes: content and disclosure requirements (DB, cash balance and DC) under regs 16, 16A and 17 of SI 2013/2734

This Checklist offers an overview of the information an annual benefit statement must contain under regs 16, 16A and 17 of the Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Disclosure of Information) Regulations 2013, SI 2013/2734 (the Disclosure Regs 2013). It applies irrespective of whether the pension arrangement in question is a defined benefit scheme, a cash balance arrangement or any other money purchase set‑up. Benefit statements for benefits other than money purchase benefits Active, deferred and pension credit members who are entitled to benefits other than money purchase benefits (for example, final salary or career average benefits) may ask the trustees or managers of the scheme for a benefit statement once in every 12‑month period. The trustees must provide the statement as soon as practicable and, in any event, within two months of their request. The precise content of the annual benefit statement varies according to the member’s status, and the accompanying table identifies the information requirements for benefit statements for each relevant type of member...

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View the related News about Career average

NEWS
UK survey: widespread lost workplace pensions and low consolidation rates amid dashboards delays; average lost pot £9,470; regulators and industry urge tracing and consolidation

More than one in four adults are unsure who manages their pension, while two in three have never attempted to recover misplaced or overlooked pension pots. This comes even though the typical unclaimed pot is valued at £9,470, as reported by the Pensions Policy Institute in 2024. Mike Ambery, Standard Life's Retirement and Savings Director, cautioned in a statement that 'millions' of UK employees could miss out on retirement money after losing sight of their pension funds. With frequent career moves now commonplace, he added, it is all too simple for pots to be forgotten, or fall off the radar completely altogether...

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NEWS
Dutch Pension Overhaul: DB-to-DC Transition to Reshape European Bond and Derivatives Markets, With Transitional Yield Volatility and Bank Portfolio Effects from 2026

Morningstar DBRS, in a note to investors, indicated that although it does not anticipate ‘systemic’ dangers, the shift from defined benefit (DB) to defined contribution (DC) pensions could still generate a broader ripple across markets. The Netherlands is set to move from arrangements that guarantee retirees an income based on final or career‑average earnings to a model where both employees and employers make monthly contributions into a savings pot. This transition is expected to bring about a major change in Dutch pension funds’ investment approach—moving away from dependable long‑dated government bonds towards higher‑return equity markets. Morningstar DBRS characterised the reform as one of Europe’s most significant pension revamps...

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View the related Practice Notes about Career average

PRACTICE NOTES
Legacy Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS): sections, alpha transition and McCloud remedy; eligibility, employer participation, governance, contributions, benefits, GMP indexation and equalisation, statutory framework and funding

What is the PCSPS? Until 30 September 2002, the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS) was the only pension option for the civil service. From 1 October 2002, four distinct sections were introduced within the PCSPS: Classic (the 1972 Section), Classic Plus (a blend of Classic and Premium), Premium (the 2002 Section) and Nuvos (the 2007 Section). The first three operate on a final salary basis, whereas Nuvos is a career-average section. For further details on how these sections were established, see below. Subsequently, on 1 April 2015, a new arrangement, the Civil Service Pension scheme (CSP) alpha, was created to provide benefits on a career average basis. When alpha was brought in, the government acted to close the PCSPS to future accrual, subject to: the retention of a final salary link in the PCSPS for active members, meaning benefits earned in the PCSPS are calculated using final salary at the point of leaving the civil service rather than when active PCSPS membership ended... ...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Reformed Teachers’ Pension Scheme 2015 (England and Wales): legal framework, governance, funding (cost cap/SCAPE), eligibility, contributions, benefits and McCloud remedy

What is the Teachers’ Pension Scheme? The Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) is a statutory public service pension arrangement for members of the teaching profession in England and Wales. Since 1 April 2015, the TPS has consisted of two schemes: The reformed TPS (often described in TPS literature as the ‘2015 Scheme’), established on 1 April 2015 under the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 (PSPA 2013) as a career average revalued earnings (CARE) scheme. This Practice Note concerns that scheme. The legacy TPS, created by the Superannuation Act 1972 (SA 1972) as a final salary scheme for those who joined before 1 April 2015. It closed to future accrual on 31 March 2022, while retaining a final salary link within that scheme. For more, see Practice Note: The legacy Teachers’ Pension Scheme. Separate schemes operate in Scotland and Northern Ireland and are outside the scope of this Practice Note. When the reformed TPS launched, the government acted to close the legacy TPS to...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Reformed NHS Pension Scheme 2015 (England and Wales): statutory framework, governance and funding, contributions, CARE benefits, McCloud remedy, membership, survivor benefits, flexible retirement, transfers, outsourcing and GMP indexation

What is the National Health Service Pension Scheme? The NHSPS is an unfunded public service occupational pension that delivers salary‑related, defined benefit (DB) retirement provision for health service staff. The reformed NHSPS (often termed the ‘2015 Scheme’) began on 1 April 2015 as a career average revalued earnings (CARE) arrangement. New starters since that date have joined this scheme, which is the focus of this Practice Note. The legacy NHSPS (the ‘1995/2008 Scheme’) consists of two separate final salary sections—the 1995 Section and the 2008 Section—both closed to future accrual, while preserving a final salary link within that scheme. For further details, see Practice Note: The legacy National Health Service Pension Scheme. There are distinct schemes in Scotland and Northern Ireland, which are not covered by this Practice Note. When the reformed NHSPS opened, the government acted to close the 1995 and 2008 Sections to future accrual, subject to: ...

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