Report: Occupational Pension Schemes Survey: UK 2016

This survey, produced by the Office for National Statistics, covers private and public sector occupational pension schemes registered in the UK. Results from the Occupational Pension Schemes Survey (OPSS) provide a detailed view of the nature of occupational pension provision in the UK.

The survey collects information about scheme membership, benefits and contributions from a sample of occupational (trust-based) pension schemes. It also includes those that are winding-up. It does not cover group personal pension arrangements, such as stakeholder and self-invested personal pensions, where the contract is facilitated by the employer(s).

Key findings:

• Total membership of occupational pension schemes in the UK was 39.2 million in 2016, the highest level recorded by the survey, representing an increase of 17.1% compared with 2015.
• Active membership of occupational pension schemes was 13.5 million in 2016.
• Active membership of private sector defined contribution schemes was 6.4 million in 2016, representing an increase of 62.5% on 2015 levels.
• In 2016, for private sector defined contribution schemes, the average total (member plus employer) contribution rate was 4.2%, broadly comparable with 2015.