Financial benefits

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We offer generous occupational pension schemes for all eligible staff members. All these schemes allow members to make additional voluntary contributions to secure additional benefits.

  • Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS):  a national scheme for staff on academic and academic-related grades; as a member you will accrue a pension of 1/85 of your salary and a cash lump sum of 3/85 of your salary for each year of service. Members of the scheme benefit from life cover and a package of protection for beneficiaries in the event of death in service. You will also gain access to the USS Investment Builder.
  • University of Oxford Staff Pension Scheme (OSPS):  the University's own scheme for staff on pay scales other than academic or academic-related. The scheme is also open to similar employees of colleges and othe participating institutions. As a member you will contribute a minimum of 4% of your pensionable salary each month and your employer pays at least 6% to your fund. In addition OSPS provides for death in service and incapacity.
  • National Health Service Pension Scheme (NHSPS): a national scheme for NHS employees,which applies within the University only to those staff who were active members of the NHSPS immediately prior to employment by the University and meet other criteria.

Subject to certain limited exceptions, if you are eligible to become a member of either USS or OSPS and you join the pension scheme, you are automatically enrolled in the University's salary exchange scheme for pension contributions from the date of joining the pension scheme for OSPS members and from three full months after joining the pension scheme for USS members.

Further details of the scheme are in section 3.5 of the Handbooks for Support Staff and Academic-related Staff.

A new employee may opt out of Salary Exchange. To do so you must give notice in writing to the Payroll Manager that you do not wish to join the scheme at least one month before you are automatically enrolled.

Read more: Pensions website

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The University operates a Relocation Scheme that may be available to new staff, depending upon circumstances and their eligibility.

Read more - relocation scheme

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Support staff (grades 1-5) who have 25 years continuous service with the University may be eligible for a special payment, as an award for their long service. The amount of the payment will vary from year to year and will be subject to tax. It will be paid through the University payroll. Further information on the scheme can be obtained from your individual departmental administrator.

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As a general rule, the University does not give loans or advances of salary. However, people in circumstances of exceptional hardship may apply to be considered for assistance. For further information contact your departmental administrator or read about the Staff Financial support fund and the Littlemore fund

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The University operates a Give As You Earn (GAYE) scheme through the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). The scheme enables employees to make charitable donations via the payroll and, because of the special tax status of such schemes, these donations attract tax relief at the employee's highest marginal rate.

Further details regarding GAYE are available on the Payroll webpage here.

There are a number of opportunities to salary sacrifice including pension and University childcare nurseries. Through salary sacrifice there are benefits to both employees and the University. Under the scheme, National Insurance contributions reduce, resulting in an increase in take-home pay for individuals and cost-savings for the University. 

The University operates a bicycle loan scheme enabling employees to purchase bicycles and related equipment with an interest free loan repaid via payroll.

Find out more from the Travel website.