Workplace pension schemes generally fall into three categories – defined benefit, defined contribution and hybrid schemes. A defined benefit scheme (like the Retirement Income Builder) guarantees you an income for life once you retire. A defined contribution scheme (like the Investment Builder) lets you build your own savings pot. A hybrid scheme has both defined benefit and defined contribution parts. USS has both defined contribution and defined benefit parts, making us a hybrid pension scheme.
To find out more visit a pensions overview. Or for more on how USS works, visit your pension explained.