About USS
This session covers topics that anyone in USS or looking to join USS may find useful - an overview of your benefits in USS, what you pay, how your benefits build up, what your options on retirement are and what all that means for you.
Pension tax changes
The government has announced changes to pension tax allowances and charges, which may affect tax management measures that you’ve put in place or your savings decisions. Find out more in our pension tax update.
As a USS member, you have access to free webinars provided by Mercer that will help you make the decisions that are right for you now and in the future. View the available dates below to register for each webinar or visit Mercer's website to view all upcoming webinars.
You can also view webinars addressing the issues that impact USS and your pension in our member webinars.
About the webinars
Each webinar will last about one hour, with about 15 minutes for a Q&A at the end, and will be recorded. If the host does not have time during the Q&A for all the questions asked by attendees, you may be able to find the answer to your question in our FAQs which are found in our help and support section. Mercer will not be able to answer any questions that are specific to your personal circumstances nor provide financial advice.
You can however, catch up at any time by viewing previous recorded webinars.
Available webinars
Here you will find the descriptions to the webinars available to you. To register for any of these subjects, choose the View dates button to take you to the current dates available for each webinar.
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New to USS
This session covers topics that anyone new to USS or looking to join USS may find useful, including: an overview of what you pay and what you get for your membership, how USS works, and how your benefits build up, the benefits available to your loved ones when you die, what options you have at retirement, and what happens if you leave USS.
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Planning for retirement
This session looks at the benefits and options available to you as a member of USS on retirement - how your benefits build up, when you can draw your benefits and in what form you can take your benefits. It will be useful for those planning for, or thinking about retirement, or those just wanting to know what their options will be on retirement.
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Understanding DC (the Investment Builder)
This session looks at the key features of the Investment Builder (the defined contribution or DC section of USS), how you can build up savings and how you can take your Investment Builder savings. So whether you’ve recently started to save in the Investment Builder, or have been doing so for a while and just want to know more, make sure you register now and join the webinar.
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Focus on pension tax
This session includes: an overview of benefits - a summary of the key features and benefits of being a member in USS, how USS works – a brief look at how your benefits build up in USS, pension tax – including Annual Allowance, Tapered Annual Allowance, MPAA and Lifetime Allowance, managing tax – including USS specific tax mitigation options like Enhanced Opt Out and Voluntary Salary Cap.
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Leaving USS
This session covers topics that anyone who has left or is thinking about leaving USS before retirement may find useful.
Webinar dates
Important information
The webinars are provided by Mercer Limited and USS is not in any way responsible for the content of the webinars and/or any loss or damage arising out of or in connection with these webinars or any services provided by Mercer Limited. The content of these webinars is information only. The webinars do not explain all situations or eventualities. It is not, and should not be taken as, advice. You should not rely on, or take or fail to take any decision or action based upon these webinars. We recommend that members, employers, or any other person that views, or otherwise comes into possession of the content of this webinar, take their own advice on which they can rely.
If there is any difference between this webinar and the USS trust deed and rules the latter shall prevail. Please check the USS website for the latest information regarding the scheme and any changes that may have occurred to its rules and benefits .
Important terms
This publication is for general guidance only. For a glossary of our terms please see more information on our key terms and important information page.
Previous webinars
As well as watching the webinars live, you can also watch recordings of webinars that have already taken place. Just choose the webinar you want to watch below.
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26 September 2023
Focus on Pensions Tax
This session includes: an overview of benefits - a summary of the key features and benefits of being a member in USS, how USS works – a brief look at how your benefits build up in USS, pension tax – including Annual Allowance, Tapered Annual Allowance, MPAA and Lifetime Allowance, managing tax – including USS specific tax mitigation options like Enhanced Opt Out and Voluntary Salary Cap. -
21 June 2022
Understanding DC
This session looks at the key features of the Investment Builder (the defined contribution or DC section of USS), how you can build up savings and how you can take your Investment Builder savings. So whether you’ve recently started to save in the Investment Builder, or have been doing so for a while and just want to know more, make sure you register now and join the webinar.
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21 June 2022
Leaving USS
This session covers topics that anyone who has left or is thinking about leaving USS before retirement may find useful.
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13 June 2022
Planning for retirement
This session looks at the benefits and options available to you as a member of USS on retirement, including: an overview of your benefits in USS, how USS works and how your benefits build up, what your options on retirement are, explanation of Normal, early, late, flexible and ill health retirement types, the retirement process and what you can do to help plan. It will be useful for those planning for, or thinking about retirement, or those just wanting to know what your options will be on retirement.
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13 June 2022
About USS
This session covers topics that anyone in USS or looking to join USS may find useful, including: an overview of your benefits in USS, how USS works and how your benefits build up, what your options on retirement are, life events that can affect your pension, what benefits are payable to your loved ones when you die, and what all that means for you.
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26 May 2022
New to USS
This session covers topics that anyone new to USS or looking to join USS may find useful, including: an overview of what you pay and what you get for your membership, how USS works, and how your benefits build up, the benefits available to your loved ones when you die, what options you have at retirement, and what happens if you leave USS.